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New evidence found for Planet 9

phys.org

21–30 of 38 posts

Re: New evidence found for Planet 9

#21

Forgive my ignorance. If it's so relatively close, why wouldn't it be observed optically hiding some known objects? Mostly stars.

If it's so relatively close

Relatively close is still frightfully far away.

why wouldn't it be observed optically hiding some known objects? Mostly stars.

It's angle subtended is still awfully teeny.

Re: New evidence found for Planet 9

#22

Forgive my ignorance. If it's so relatively close, why wouldn't it be observed optically hiding some known objects? Mostly stars.

One of the options is that it's a primordial black hole, which leads to my favourite "actual size" caption on a diagram, page 5:

https://arxiv.org/pdf/1909.11090

Re: New evidence found for Planet 9

#23
post #3

We used to have a perfectly adequate Planet 9, until it was declared unworthy of planethood.

Neptune is still fully imbued of planet-hood, regardless if you prefer to call Ceres a planet or dwarf-planet.

Has Ceres ever been classified as a planet ? Inquiring minds want to know.

Re: New evidence found for Planet 9

#26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Neptune is still fully imbued of planet-hood, regardless if you prefer to call Ceres a planet or dwarf-planet.

Has Ceres ever been classified as a planet ? Inquiring minds want to know.

Yes. In the early decades of the 1800s, the asteroids Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta were commonly included in the list of planets. The number of known asteroids exploded in the 1840s and 50s with the 100th being discovered in 1868. I'm not actually sure when schoolchildren stopped memorizing their names.

Re: New evidence found for Planet 9

#27
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why will this stupid meme not die?

A ton of us grew up reciting Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune PLUTO But, the meme doesn’t die because the deplanetization of Pluto was a weird occurrence that doesn’t usually happen. The biggest association I have with Pluto is that it used to be a planet, so why wouldn’t I joke about that every time I see it mentioned?

Don't forget that Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta were once considered planets as well. Generations of schoolchildren memorized their names right alongside the others.

Re: New evidence found for Planet 9

#28
post #22

Forgive my ignorance. If it's so relatively close, why wouldn't it be observed optically hiding some known objects? Mostly stars.

One of the options is that it's a primordial black hole, which leads to my favourite "actual size" caption on a diagram, page 5: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1909.11090

I don't know why but that's... disconcerting. So small, but so powerful...

Re: New evidence found for Planet 9

#29
post #22

Forgive my ignorance. If it's so relatively close, why wouldn't it be observed optically hiding some known objects? Mostly stars.

One of the options is that it's a primordial black hole, which leads to my favourite "actual size" caption on a diagram, page 5: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1909.11090

Honestly finding such an object so close by would be incredible.

Re: New evidence found for Planet 9

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Neptune is still fully imbued of planet-hood, regardless if you prefer to call Ceres a planet or dwarf-planet.

Has Ceres ever been classified as a planet ? Inquiring minds want to know.

It's still considered a dwarf planet fwiw
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