Astronomers discover giant Kuiper Belt object
Posted: Tue, Oct 8, 2002, 7:50 AM ET (1150 GMT)
Two Caltech astronomers announced Monday that they have discovered the largest Kuiper Belt object found to date, an icy body half the size of the planet Pluto. The object, officially designated 2002 LM60 but unofficially named Quaoar, was discovered in mid-2002 using a telescope at Palomar Observatory. Those observations, as well as older images, showed that the object was in a distant, near-circular orbit 6.5 billion kilometers from the Sun. Later Hubble Space Telescope observations showed that Quaoar is 1,300 km in diameter, larger than any other KBO discovered to date and more than half the diameter of Pluto, 2,300 km across. Caltech astronomers Mike Brown and Chad Trujillo speculate that other, larger KBO objects have yet to be discovered, raising questions about Pluto's status as a planet. Quaoar is named after a creation god of the Tongva tribe of native Americans who once lived in the Los Angeles area.
Two Caltech astronomers announced Monday that they have discovered the largest Kuiper Belt object found to date, an icy body half the size of the planet Pluto. The object, officially designated 2002 LM60 but unofficially named Quaoar, was discovered in mid-2002 using a telescope at Palomar Observatory. Those observations, as well as older images, showed that the object was in a distant, near-circular orbit 6.5 billion kilometers from the Sun. Later Hubble Space Telescope observations showed that Quaoar is 1,300 km in diameter, larger than any other KBO discovered to date and more than half the diameter of Pluto, 2,300 km across. Caltech astronomers Mike Brown and Chad Trujillo speculate that other, larger KBO objects have yet to be discovered, raising questions about Pluto's status as a planet. Quaoar is named after a creation god of the Tongva tribe of native Americans who once lived in the Los Angeles area.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, June 4
Europe advances Pu-238 supply chain for deep space
ESA — 5:43 am ET (0943 GMT) SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites from Vandenberg SFB Wednesday Morning
Santa Barbara (CA) Edhat — 5:42 am ET (0942 GMT) U.S. Space Force to build new facility, move acquisition unit and expand officer training course in Colorado, lawmaker says
Aerospace America — 5:39 am ET (0939 GMT) Hatcher takes command at Space Forces Korea
US Space Force — 5:38 am ET (0938 GMT) France opens Space Command to Japanese officer as ties deepen under new road map
Japan Times — 5:38 am ET (0938 GMT) |
