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A distant, icy rock whose discovery shook up the solar system and led to Pluto's planetary demise has been given a name: Eris. The christening of Eris, named after the Greek goddess of chaos and strife, was announced by the International Astronomical Union on Wednesday. Weeks earlier, the professional astronomers' group stripped Pluto of its planethood under new controversial guidelines. Since its discovery last year, Eris, which had been known as 2003 UB313, ignited a debate about what constitutes a planet. Astronomers were split over how to classify the object because there was no universal definition. Some argued it should...

There’s something odd floating around in the outer solar system. Actually, there’s lots of odd things floating around in the outer solar system, but 2002 UX25 is one of the most baffling. The mid-sized Kuiper belt object (KBO) measures 650 kilometers (400 miles) across, and yet it has a density less than water (less than 1 gram per cubic centimeter). Yes, if you put it in a huge bathtub, 2002 UX25 would float. ...planetary scientist Mike Brown, of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, has taken a measure of 2002 UX25′s density and discovered that it is “the...

Nasa scientists are searching for an invisible 'Death Star' that circles the Sun, which catapults potentially catastrophic comets at the Earth. The star, also known as Nemesis, is five times the size of Jupiter and could be to blame for the impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. The bombardment of icy missiles is being blamed by some scientists for mass extinctions of life that they say happen every 26 million years Nemesis is predicted to lie at a distance equal to 25,000 times that of the Earth from the Sun, or a third of a light-year....

If you can make sense of it, here's the article: Stellar encounters as the origin of distant Solar System objects in highly eccentric orbits SCOTT J. KENYON AND BENJAMIN C. BROMLEY The Kuiper belt extends from the orbit of Neptune at 30 AU to an abrupt outer edge about 50 AU from the Sun. Beyond the edge is a sparse population of objects with large orbital eccentricities. Neptune shapes the dynamics of most Kuiper belt objects, but the recently discovered planet 2003 VB12 (Sedna) has an eccentric orbit with a perihelion distance of 70 AU, far beyond Neptune's gravitational influence....

When is a planet not a planet? That is what astronomers will be asking themselves after yesterday's announcement of the biggest planetary body discovered in the solar system in more than 70 years. The new body, called Quaoar (pronounced Kwah-o-ar), is a round world that orbits the sun every 288 years, at a distance greater than that of any of the nine planets. At 1250 kilometres wide, it is bigger than any of the asteroids. In fact, it is bigger than all the asteroids put together. But it is also just over half the size of the smallest planet in...

Many galaxies appear to have stronger gravity - and thus more mass - than can be explained by their visible matter alone. Overly massive galaxies are most often attributed to dark matter, an invisible substance that interacts with matter through gravity. To date, though, no one has directly detected dark matter particles. But a well-established notion in physics could hold another explanation for their size. This says that empty space is really a frothy, turbulent sea full of virtual particles - matter and antimatter that spring in and out of existence so fast that we can't see them. Though they...

LeBron James is known for taking passive/aggressive shots at his coaches. Whether he's dealing with Paul Silas or tolerating Mike Brown or griping about Erik Spoelstra's minutes allotment, it hardly matters. LeBron James is the king, in his own mind, and he's not to be touched. Unless he's the one doing the touching. Or bumping.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Five years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the federal official at the heart of a firestorm over Washington's slow response is acknowledging the government's shortcomings. Former Federal Emergency Management agency director Mike Brown tells NBC's "Today" show "there was a disconnect" about what the Bush administration was saying about the situation, and how bad things actually were.

Frank Rich says this might be Pres. Obama’s Katrina moment. That would make Tim Geithner PBO’s Mike Brown. Which in turn might make some people’s blood run cold to hear the president say of Geithner, during his 60 Minutes interview broadcast this evening, that: “he is doing a terrific job.” [snip] Whereas in the case of Katrina, Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco bore much of the blame, in this case it is Geithner alone who apparently pushed to make the AIG bonuses, the ones that PBO has called an "outrage," legal. That's what the president calls a "terrific job"? View...

A former Toledo football standout who once played with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals is being investigated for his role in a fight and stabbing yesterday outside Jackson’s Lounge & Grill downtown, authorities said.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070202/SPT02/302020028/1066 Can only link the story .... cannot post the material. Well worth the read to see the NFL is singling out a community and franchise with concern.

CINCINNATI -- Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph was arrested early Monday and charged with possession of marijuana, the ninth Cincinnati player arrested in the last nine months. The arrest came three weeks after coach Marvin Lewis promised to get tougher on player misconduct, hoping to stop a series of arrests that has embarrassed the team and drawn the attention of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Joseph was arrested on U.S. Route 42 in northern Kentucky. He lives nearby in Union, Ky. The Boone Country sheriff's office arrest report said Joseph was the passenger in a vehicle driven by a woman who had...

The first time we heard Carson Palmer dress down his own teammates was after the ninth Bengals player was arrested in nine months. But in front of a gaggle of super bowl reporters, his frustration over the arrests of his teammates boiled over again. Palmer, who was a finalist for the FedEx player of the year awards, was in Miami for the award ceremony. Palmer didn't win the award but sounded off during an interview afterwards. "There's really nothing Marvin can do in the off season," said Palmer when asked of what the team will do to keep player troubles...

Bengals standout Defensive Back Deltha O'Neal is scheduled to appear in court this afternoon, and he could leave knowing his punishment. O'Neal was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence back in December when he was stopped at a checkpoint in Clermont County. He has already entered a not-guilty plea, but it is possible he could change his plea while in court today.

MIAMI (AP) -- Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson was questioned by Miami police regarding an investigation into the shooting death of a man. Johnson, a Miami native, spoke with detectives Monday at police headquarters, according to The Miami Herald. "Chad has confirmed to the club that he cooperated with the Miami Police earlier this week as part of an investigation," the team said in a statement released Friday to The Associated Press. "Police have characterized this as a routine procedure and have stressed that Chad is not a suspect or even a person of interest in this case." Authorities...

The Plantation hotel has been remodeled. The owner has changed. Its name has changed by degrees, from the Holiday Inn to the Holiday Inn Express. And the general manager hadn't heard of its Super Bowl history once in 10 years of working there. But when Cincinnati Bengals running back Stanley Wilson was late for a team meeting the night before Super Bowl XXIII in 1989, his room was opened by a security guard at the team's request. There sat Wilson: Clothed in the bathtub. Drenched in sweat. Lost in a cocaine fog. "Stanley's had a relapse," coach Sam Wyche told...

CINCINNATI - Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph was arrested early Monday and charged with possession of marijuana, the ninth Cincinnati player arrested in the last nine months. The arrest came three weeks after coach Marvin Lewis announced he would get tougher on player conduct, hoping to stop a series of arrests that has embarrassed the team and drawn the attention of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. "We don't comment on these matters when they're unresolved," team spokesman Jack Brennan said. "We don't believe it's appropriate when it's still at the level of charges." Joseph was arrested on U.S. Route 42 in northern...

ESPN's: Match the Bengal to the Crime

AMELIA, Ohio -- Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Deltha O'Neal was charged with driving while intoxicated early Saturday after being stopped at a traffic checkpoint. The two-time Pro Bowl player had a blood-alcohol level of 0.10, above Ohio's legal limit of 0.08, the State Highway Patrol said. O'Neal was alone in his car and arrested at the scene, Sgt. Kevin Long said. O'Neal took a breath test and was released.

Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was arrested for marijuana possession early Thursday morning. Police arrested Henry, 22, in the 300 block of Philadelphia Street in Covington. He posted at least 10 percent of a $1,000 bond and was released from jail. Henry is a Bengals rookie from West Virginia University. It's unclear how the drug arrest will affect Henry's season.