Giant Kuiper Belt object discovered
Posted: Thu, Jul 5, 2001, 3:11 PM ET (1911 GMT)
Astronomers announced earlier this week that they have discovered an object in the distant Kuiper Belt that could be larger than Pluto's moon, Charon. The object, provisionally named 2001 KX76, was discovered in images taken in May from a four-meter telescope in Chile. The object is the brightest known Kuiper Belt object (KBO). Using estimates for the object's reflectivity, this brightness corresponds to a diameter between 960 and 1,270 kilometers. By comparison, Charon is 1,200 km across and Ceres, the largest asteroid, is 932 km in diameter. This discovery may fuel the debate over how to classify Pluto, the smallest planet: as the gap between the sizes of the largest KBOs and Pluto (2,275 km across) shrinks, some astronomers have argued that Pluto should either be jointly classified as a planet and KBO, or be stripped of planet status altogether.
Astronomers announced earlier this week that they have discovered an object in the distant Kuiper Belt that could be larger than Pluto's moon, Charon. The object, provisionally named 2001 KX76, was discovered in images taken in May from a four-meter telescope in Chile. The object is the brightest known Kuiper Belt object (KBO). Using estimates for the object's reflectivity, this brightness corresponds to a diameter between 960 and 1,270 kilometers. By comparison, Charon is 1,200 km across and Ceres, the largest asteroid, is 932 km in diameter. This discovery may fuel the debate over how to classify Pluto, the smallest planet: as the gap between the sizes of the largest KBOs and Pluto (2,275 km across) shrinks, some astronomers have argued that Pluto should either be jointly classified as a planet and KBO, or be stripped of planet status altogether.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Senate seeks to add $10 billion to NASA human spaceflight programs
Posted: Sat, Jun 7 10:46 AM ET (1446 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, June 8
Japan's ispace pins hope on 2027 after 2nd failed moon landing
Nikkei — 7:46 am ET (1146 GMT) Japan ispace fails in bid for 1st Moon landing by Asian private firm
Kyodo International — 7:46 am ET (1146 GMT) ‘Never quit the lunar quest’ was this moon mission’s motto. Here’s its tragic tale
CNN — 7:46 am ET (1146 GMT) SpaceX targeting Sunday morning for Starlink mission from Vandenberg SFB
Lompoc Record — 7:43 am ET (1143 GMT) Virgin Atlantic plans superfast wi-fi that could be powered by Starlink
Sunday Times of London — 7:42 am ET (1142 GMT) |
