This is an exciting time. We’re discovering new worlds. Literally.
For those people who don’t think that science is exciting, consider today’s news: Scientists have discovered Planet X.
No, we don’t know if Marvin the Martian is there with his little flag, but we do have the following information. The new planet, which has the interim name 2003UB313, is about 9.7 billion miles from the sun, and is the most distant object ever to be detected orbiting our star.
There shouldn’t be any question that this object is indeed a planet. Although it is only about 21 percent the size of Earth, it is about 50 percent bigger than Pluto.
The discovery was made at the Samuel Oschin Telescope at the Palomar Observatory in Southern California just one day after a team of Spanish scientists discovered another distant object orbiting the sun, this one about 75 percent the size of Pluto.
So, for those of you who believe that the only true wonder in the cosmos can be found in a two thousand year-old book, you can keep your old news. I’m more interested in the fantastic new horizons that human creativity and a critical mind can bring.
Have they made up their minds yet on whether Pluto’s a planet or not, then? They seemed unsure of it for a bit.
But woo; new planet, and a Looney Tunes reference!
more info on New Scientist magazine’s site: http://www.newscientist.com
If Pluto’s a planet, this is a planet.
Nomenclature aside, wow. This is cool.
I’m starting to beleve that pluto is not a planet.
I’m starting to believe it too. Like in the wee small hours of the morning, I wake up, and just think, “Pluto is not a planet.” Then I hear the voice calling out to me…
Another stop on the way to the stars
this is cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:]]
Yeah pluto is no longer aplanet