Pluto may have two more moons
Posted: Tue, Nov 1, 2005, 9:22 AM ET (1422 GMT)
Hubble Space Telescope observations of Pluto have revealed the existence of what may be two additional moons orbiting the distant planet, NASA announced Monday. The objects, provisionally designated S/2005 P1 and S/2005 P2, were discovered by astronomers in two sets of Hubble images taken three days apart in May 2005. The candidate moons appeared to move in orbit around Pluto at a distance of about 50,000 and 65,000 km from the planet during the observations. Confirmation that the objects are indeed moons will have to wait for additional Hubble observations scheduled for next February; groundbased telescopes cannot detect the faint moons. The moons, thought to be each on the order of 100 km across, may be debris left over from the collision that formed Pluto's largest moon, Charon.
Hubble Space Telescope observations of Pluto have revealed the existence of what may be two additional moons orbiting the distant planet, NASA announced Monday. The objects, provisionally designated S/2005 P1 and S/2005 P2, were discovered by astronomers in two sets of Hubble images taken three days apart in May 2005. The candidate moons appeared to move in orbit around Pluto at a distance of about 50,000 and 65,000 km from the planet during the observations. Confirmation that the objects are indeed moons will have to wait for additional Hubble observations scheduled for next February; groundbased telescopes cannot detect the faint moons. The moons, thought to be each on the order of 100 km across, may be debris left over from the collision that formed Pluto's largest moon, Charon.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force picks 14 companies for GEO surveillance program
Posted: Sat, Apr 11 10:34 AM ET (1434 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, April 23
Firefly Aerospace moves into 3 new buildings in Cedar Park
KVUE-TV Austin, TX — 4:24 am ET (0824 GMT) ESA Formalizes European Defense Agency Links
Aviation Week — 4:23 am ET (0823 GMT) Plato aces space-like tests
ESA — 4:23 am ET (0823 GMT) In ‘major win’ for Alabama, $565 million set aside for Space Command design, construction
Huntsville Times — 4:22 am ET (0822 GMT) Trump taps defense firm execs to lead space acquisition, NRO
Breaking Defense — 4:19 am ET (0819 GMT) |
