Space Topics: Trans-Neptunian Objects
The Year in Pictures: 2005
Newly Discovered 2003 UB313, Larger than Pluto, Has a Moon
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Credit: W.M. Keck Observatory
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October 3.
On January 8, a systematic survey of the outer
edges of the solar system conducted
by Michael Brown, Chad Trujillo, and David Rabinowitz turned up the
discovery of a body larger than Pluto, currently known as 2003 UB313. On
October 3, they reported a second discovery: that 2003 UB313 has a moon. The
discovery of the moon was made possible by the state-of-the-art Laser Guide
Star Adaptive Optics system on the Keck II telescope on Mauna Kea. Once
the moon's orbit is well understood, it will permit scientists to determine
the mass of 2003 UB313, allowing a direct comparison between it and Pluto. The
existence of 2003 UB313 has rekindled the debate about what makes a planet
and whether Pluto belongs in that class. If Pluto belongs there, 2003
UB313's discoverers reason, then so does 2003 UB313. Until the debate
is resolved, 2003 UB313 will not have a name.
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