Is There A 10th Planet?

Menno · Post by **Menno** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 9:53 am

(CNN) -- Scientists may have discovered the solar system's 10th planet, more than 3 billion kilometers further away from the sun than Pluto.

NASA is set to make an official announcement later Monday U.S. time.

The object -- about 10 billion kilometers from Earth -- has been given the provisional name of Sedna after the Inuit goddess of the sea.

Dr. Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology and his team of astronomers, using the recently launched high power Spitzer Space Telescope, found Sedna during an ongoing three-year outer solar system project.

The Tenagra Observatory in Arizona was used to provide a verifying second set of measurements for the object.

Sedna is the largest object to be found circling the sun since Pluto was discovered in 1930.

The discovery has also sparked debate over what constitutes a planet.

Initial details indicated Sedna to be made of ice and rock and to be of a smaller size than Pluto, with a diameter of almost 2,000 km.

Many astronomers say Pluto, with a diameter of 2,300 km, is too small to be a termed a planet and is actually just one of many minor objects in the outer reaches of the solar system.

But those who argue Pluto is a planet are likely to push the claim for Sedna to become the 10th planet in the solar system.

Dr. Brown will present the discovery during a NASA briefing on Monday at 1:00 p.m. EST (1800 GMT).

The Spitzer Space Telescope was launched in August last year and is the fourth of NASA's Great Observatories. The program also includes the Hubble Space Telescope.

Read the rest here cocksuckers

Discuss, you damn geeks!

EvoG · Post by **EvoG** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 10:11 am

I think its rather cool. These days any new finds in astronomy is rather exciting, and considering that NASA is surprised by this, I'd wager that if not classified as a 'planet', its at least very much something more than just a visitor.

Walks with the Snails · Mon Mar 15, 2004 12:06 pm

No. Planets are named after Roman gods, silly. 'Nuff said. Did the Inuits ever get cool enough to be able to crush most of the known world under their heel? Might as well call it Oprah or something.

Jebus · Post by **Jebus** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 12:48 pm

If it's even smaller than Pluto, I seriously doubt it wil be classified as a planet. I mean, there had even been a big discussion about Pluto, and this one is even smaller...

No chance.

Bleusilences · Post by **Bleusilences** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 2:36 pm

It<s planet X, it's been discover for at least 10 years but there was a debate back then if it was really a planet or only a huge asteroid. Seem they decided it's a planet...

SuperH · Post by **SuperH** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 3:44 pm

Bleusilences wrote:It<s planet X, it's been discover for at least 10 years but there was a debate back then if it was really a planet or only a huge asteroid. Seem they decided it's a planet...

No, they've found lots of "large" objects floating around out there, this is just larger than most. It's a new one that the Spitzer telescope picked up. The others are all classified as asteroids, but this one isn't too small, so it's an if yeah?

I don't see why the hell it shouldn't be a planet, either way it's an entirely arbitrary decision, there's no cosmic "planet threshold" to decide whether it is or isn't, in truth. And on top of that it would be cool to have another planet, so there we go, I declare it a planet.

Grey Fil · Post by **Grey Fil** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 5:14 pm

A 10th planet sounds kind of cool I agree. The same number as fingers in my hands so its easier to count. But if its really a planet or just one big asteroid is dificult to tell. And naming it after some frozen god seems apropriate but breaking a venerable tradition I dont know if its right.

SuperH · Post by **SuperH** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 5:59 pm

How could it be wrong? We made up the tradition in the first place. Same reason there's no reason that this shouldn't be a planet, we made up the idea of calling things planets in the first place, so the difference between planets and asteriods is all in our heads anyway. Babam, 10th planet here we come.

Walks with the Snails · Mon Mar 15, 2004 6:20 pm

Yeah, but you know what happens then. All the other asteroids want to get in and do, Jupiter and Saturn get snotty and say the planet club isn't what it used to be and go on to make a new word for "real planets" and then Earth has to kiss their ass to get in because we're not a big old scary gas giant. Best to keep the riff-raff away now before it comes to that.

Strap · Post by **Strap** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 10:07 pm

I beleive that it could be considered to be a 10th planet... but anything that is trapped in the sun's gravitational pull and orbits without just flying into the sun could be considered to be a planet too... They did say it was much smaller than Pluto.

When I first heard this on the news I immediatly though "OMFG PLANET X IS FOR REAL!" (not really, but I thought of "planet X")

SuperH · Post by **SuperH** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 10:14 pm

What if Ghidora is on it :-! ohsht we haven't got Godzilla yet!

ExtremeDrinker · Post by **ExtremeDrinker** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 10:22 pm

This 10th planet debate has been around for a long time..Early 90's at least...I thought that whatever was out there had already been declared a planet.

I never noticed anything new on the solar system maps in class, though.

If this is indeed a planet, more power to it. Now we can make a couple billion dollars marketing "The Tenth Planet" movies. "It Came from Planet Ten" "Outpost Sedna," etc...

Sister_Steel · Post by **Sister_Steel** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 12:35 am

I dont know about you guys but i hate all ideas of space exploration. Space is just a big shit hole to me. The thought of space sucks too. Here we are on this big chunk of rock and various minerals. Waiting to be sucked up by some rogue sun gone black hole.

jetbaby · Post by **jetbaby** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 1:20 am

CENTER! FLAT! ABIDE BY CHRISTIAN LAW! WE ARE THE MASTER PLANET!

Stainless · Post by **Stainless** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 2:49 am

Could it be classified as a planetiod? (they;re like mini planets, right?)

I was going to click that I'm a geek and here's my nerdy response by astro isn't my thing

CloudNineGT · Post by **CloudNineGT** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 2:54 am

I almost tryed to quote the flat earth society, but nothing they had written made a bit of sence. Anyway, if there is another planet out there its bound to be really small and stupid.

Edit: Wernt they trying to prove that pluto didnt exist not so long ago?

Kashluk · Post by **Kashluk** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 7:05 am

Walks with the Snails wrote:No. Planets are named after Roman gods, silly. 'Nuff said. Did the Inuits ever get cool enough to be able to crush most of the known world under their heel? Might as well call it Oprah or something.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I totally agree with you.

Why not call it Vesta, Minerva, Maia, Vulcan, Ceres or best of all (~ the female version of Pluto) Proserpine?

SDMVersion3 · Post by **SDMVersion3** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 10:26 am

Gotta name it Vulcan.

Imagine how POed the Vulcans would be if we named their planet Minerva? They'd kick our fucking ass.

Wolfman Walt · Post by **Wolfman Walt** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 10:42 am

I imagine somewhere out there......theres a star trek petition that wishes to name it the same thing.........its their goal in life to make it so and spread the word of Star Trek across the galaxy......its my goal to destroy theirs.......Name it "Hammerville."

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 2:08 pm

SDMVersion3 wrote:Gotta name it Vulcan.

Imagine how POed the Vulcans would be if we named their planet Minerva? They'd kick our fucking ass.

One of my cats' named Vesta!

We should name this planet teh Death Star.