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
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, September 10
Axiom Space, ESA Partner On Innovation, LEO Access
Aviation Week — 12:59 am ET (0459 GMT) Eutelsat Taps Airbus and Aerospacelab for OneWeb and IRIS² Satellites
ViaSatellite — 12:57 am ET (0457 GMT) Eutelsat Readies Another OneWeb Top-Up Order With Airbus
Aviation Week — 12:57 am ET (0457 GMT) Eutelsat selects Arianespace for two launches to support the renewal of its OneWeb constellation
Arianespace — 12:57 am ET (0457 GMT) Rocket Lab Successfully Launches 16th Electron Mission Of The Year, Solidifies Status as World’s Leading Small Launch Provider
Rocket Lab — 12:56 am ET (0456 GMT) |
