Fourth moon discovered around Pluto
Posted: Thu, Jul 21, 2011, 5:22 AM ET (0922 GMT)
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have found a fourth moon orbiting the dwarf planet Pluto, they announced Wednesday. The moon, officially designated S/2011 (134340) 1 and unofficially dubbed P4, is the smallest body yet found orbiting Pluto, with a diameter of 13 to 34 kilometers. The object was spotted in a Hubble image of the Pluto system taken in late June and confirmed with follow-up observations taken as recently as Monday. It orbits between two other moons, Nix and Hydra, discovered in Hubble observations in 2005. The latest discovery, however, does not change Pluto's official status as a "dwarf planet", after the International Astronomical Union approved a new definition of the term planet in 2006 that effectively demoted what had been the solar system's ninth planet.
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have found a fourth moon orbiting the dwarf planet Pluto, they announced Wednesday. The moon, officially designated S/2011 (134340) 1 and unofficially dubbed P4, is the smallest body yet found orbiting Pluto, with a diameter of 13 to 34 kilometers. The object was spotted in a Hubble image of the Pluto system taken in late June and confirmed with follow-up observations taken as recently as Monday. It orbits between two other moons, Nix and Hydra, discovered in Hubble observations in 2005. The latest discovery, however, does not change Pluto's official status as a "dwarf planet", after the International Astronomical Union approved a new definition of the term planet in 2006 that effectively demoted what had been the solar system's ninth planet.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force releases guidelines on commercial use of launch sites
Posted: Sun, Jul 20 9:51 AM ET (1351 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, July 21
SpaceX is set to launch from Cape Canaveral on Monday
WFTV Orlando — 4:37 am ET (0837 GMT) Getting to infinity and beyond: Private Space Exploration
Univ. of Texas El Paso Prospector — 4:37 am ET (0837 GMT) Spaceport to help develop hypersonic defences
BBC — 4:30 am ET (0830 GMT) Utah ready to take one giant step toward a rocket launching pad
Deseret News — 4:30 am ET (0830 GMT) ISRO Chairman unveils plans for India’s space station by 2035, human moon landing by 2040
The Hindu — 4:29 am ET (0829 GMT) |
