Latest news with #Ammonite
NDTV
a day ago
- Science
- NDTV
Scientists Find Mysterious Object In Kuiper Belt, And It's Not A Planet
Scientists have found a small and icy object, designated 2023 KQ14 and nicknamed "Ammonite". It is far beyond Neptune and is currently orbiting the Sun. Ammonite, a name based on fossilised sea creatures, has been classified as a sednoid, not a planet or dwarf planet. Scientists have previously explained that a sednoid is a trans-Neptunian object (TNO) with a large semi-major axis, a distant perihelion and a highly eccentric orbit. This TNO is the fourth sednoid ever found. The object was discovered using the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii as part of the FOSSIL (Formation of the Outer Solar System: An Icy Legacy) survey project. It was first spotted in March, May and August 2023 and confirmed in July 2024. As per a paper published in Nature Astronomy on July 14, the object is estimated to be 300-700 km in diameter and likely composed of ice, rock and organic compounds. When it comes to orbital characteristics, the object has a perihelion of 66 astronomical units (AU). One AU is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun. Meanwhile, aphelion is 252 AU. The object has followed a stable orbit for at least 4.5 billion years. "The orbit of Ammonite does not align with those of the other Sedna-like objects and fills the previously unexplained 'q-gap' in the observed distribution of distant Solar System objects," the authors explained in their paper. "The fact that 2023 KQ14's current orbit does not align with those of the other three sednoids lowers the likelihood of the Planet Nine hypothesis," Dr Yukun Huang of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), who is also a co-author of the paper, said in a press release. "It is possible that a planet once existed in the Solar System but was later ejected, causing the unusual orbits we see today." According to study co-author Dr Fumi Yoshida, Neptune is the only known massive object near the outer Solar System that could have shaped the orbits of the TNOs and Sednoids. However, Ammonite is quite far away. "2023 KQ14 was found in a region far away where Neptune's gravity has little influence. The presence of objects with elongated orbits and large perihelion distances in this area implies that something extraordinary occurred during the ancient era when 2023 KQ14 formed," Yoshida said. The object is considered a "fossil" from the early solar system as it supposedly preserves conditions from 4.5 billion years ago. Scientists aim to use Ammonite's discovery to fill a longstanding gap in the basic understanding of distant orbits.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Science
- Forbes
Complete Guide To ‘Ammonite,' The Solar System's Latest Member
Sedna orbiting near of Neptune planet. 3d render The solar system suddenly has a new member. A new object discovered in the solar system beyond Neptune and Pluto has astronomers rethinking the history of the solar system. Called 2023 KQ14 and nicknamed 'Ammonite,' the discovery of this unique so-called trans-Neptunian object is both unexpected and could reshape what we know about the solar system's past. Here's everything you need to know about Ammonite, the solar system's newly found object. Is Ammonite A Planet Or A Dwarf Planet? Ammonite is not classed as a planet. It's not even called a dwarf planet, like Pluto (and Ceres, Haumea, Makemake and Eris). Ammonite is classed as a sednoid — an object similar to Sedna, a dwarf planet candidate in the outer solar system, which was found in 2003. Like Sedna, Ammonite orbits beyond Neptune and has a highly eccentric orbit. Ammonite is only the fourth sednoid ever discovered (after Sedna, 2012 VP113 — nicknamed Biden — and Leleākūhonua). How Big Is Ammonite? Based solely on how much sunlight it reflects, Ammonite is thought to be between 137 and 236 miles (220 and 380 kilometers) in diameter, according to the paper announcing its discovery published this week in Nature Astronomy. That's large, but significantly smaller than Pluto's diameter of about 1,477 miles (2,377 kilometers) and Earth's diameter of 7,926 miles (about 12,756 kilometers). How Far Away Is Ammonite? The solar system is measured in Earth-sun distances, one of which is called an astronomical unit (au). When it was found, Ammonite was 71 au from the sun. That's about twice as far as Neptune (30 au) and Pluto (40 au). However, Ammonite's orbital path is highly elliptical, getting as far from the sun as 432 au. It takes about 4,000 Earth-years to complete one orbit of the sun. 'Ammonite was found in a region far away where Neptune's gravity has little influence,' said Dr. Fumi Yoshida of the University of Occupational and Environmental Health and the Chiba Institute of Technology, who leads the FOSSIL project that uncovered Ammonite. That implies that 'something extraordinary occurred during the ancient era when Ammonite formed,' said Yoshida. How Does Ammonite Affect The 'Planet Nine' Thesis? The discovery appears to make the existence of a ninth planet less likely. There is an unusual clustering of six minor bodies in the outer solar system (including the sednoids). All appear to have hugely elongated and elliptical orbits, suggesting that they may have been 'herded' by the gravitational influence of a planet. However, Ammonite's orbit is oriented in the opposite direction to the three other sednoids, breaking their orbital clustering — and, therefore, challenging the 'Planet Nine' theory. 'The fact that Ammonite's current orbit does not align with those of the other three sednoids lowers the likelihood of the Planet Nine hypothesis,' said Dr. Yukun Huang at the Center for Computational Astrophysics (CfCA) of NAOJ, who conducted simulations of Ammonite's orbit. 'It is possible that a planet once existed in the solar system but was later ejected, causing the unusual orbits we see today.' The orbit of Ammonite (red line) and the orbits of the other three sednoids (white lines). Ammonite ... More was discovered close to its perihelion, at a distance of 71 astronomical units (71 times the average distance between the Sun and Earth). The yellow point shows its position as of July 2025. Could 'Planet Nine' Still Exist After Ammonite's Discovery? The so-called 'Planet Nine' could still exist, but much farther out in the solar system. It could also be a 'ghost planet,' ejected long ago, with only its past gravitational influence remaining. The orbits of Ammonite and the other sednoids could also be explained by the gravitational influence of a star passing close to the solar system billions of years ago. How Was Ammonite Found? Ammonite was first observed using the Subaru Telescope's wide-field prime-focus camera, Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC), in March 2023 as part of the survey project FOSSIL (Formation of the Outer Solar System: An Icy Legacy). That also explains why it's named after a fossil of a cephalopod. It was observed using Suburu again in May and August 2023. The Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope's MegaCam was used in July 2024 to trace its orbit more precisely. However, its orbit was calculated by finding it in archive images going back 19 years, including images from 2014 and 2021 from the DECam instrument in Chile and in 2005 images taken by Kitt Peak National Observatory. This animation shows the observations of comet 3I/ATLAS when it was discovered on July 1, 2025. The ... More NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Chile first reported that the comet originated from interstellar space. Why Is Ammonite Called A 'Fossil' Of The Solar System? Ammonite's status as a 'fossil' of the early solar system comes from the finding that it's at least 4.5 billion years old — almost as old as the solar system itself. Numerical simulations using NAOJ's CfCA PC Cluster supercomputer indicate Ammonite's orbit has remained stable for that time. It also revealed that around 4.2 billion years ago, the orbits of all the sednoids were very similar. Ammonite is part of the fossil record of the orbital configuration of the early solar system. That helps astronomers understand what the solar system looked like when it first formed. Why The Discovery Of Ammonite Is So Significant The discovery of Ammonite goes far beyond merely adding one more distant object to the solar system's population. 'Ammonite's orbit tells us that something sculpted the outer solar system very early on. Whether it was a passing star or a hidden planet, this discovery brings us closer to the truth,' said Dr. Shiang-Yu Wang, the study's corresponding author and a Research Fellow in ASIAA. 'Spacecraft have only explored limited regions of the Solar System [and] most of the vast solar system remains unexplored,' said Yoshida. 'Wide-field observations with the Subaru Telescope are steadily pushing back the frontier. ' Whether 2023 KQ14 is officially named Ammonite remains to be seen, with the International Astronomical Union set to assign a name at a later date. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
'Fossil' object discovered on outskirts of solar system
Astronomers have discovered a "fossil" body residing on the outskirts of the solar system, according to new research. The object – which goes by the formal designation 2023 KQ14 but is nicknamed 'Ammonite," in an apparent nod to the widely found, ancient fossilized mollusk – was detected by the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii, according to a paper published Tuesday in Nature Astronomy. Ammonite was discovered at its perihelion, which is the point in a celestial body's orbit at which it is closest to the sun, according to the paper. It lies beyond Pluto at a distance of 71 AU, or astronomical units – putting it 71 times the average distance between the sun and Earth, according to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), whose astronomers made the discovery. MORE: 100 undiscovered galaxies could be orbiting the Milky Way, according to new research The object was found in a region so far on the solar system's outskirts that gravity from Neptune, the planet farthest away from the sun in our solar system, has little influence on it, Fumi Yoshida, a planetary scientist at the NAOJ and co-author of the paper, said in a statement. Such objects are technically known as sednoids. Ammonite is only the fourth-ever sednoid to be discovered, the researchers said. "The presence of objects with elongated orbits and large perihelion distances in this area implies that something extraordinary occurred during the ancient era when 2023 KQ14 formed," Yoshida said. "Understanding the orbital evolution and physical properties of these unique, distant objects is crucial for comprehending the full history of the solar system." MORE: Webb telescope discovers stars forming in 'toe beans' of Cat's Paw Nebula Astronomers first noticed the object several times in 2023 and confirmed its existence with follow-up observations in 2024 by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in Hawaii, according to NAOJ. Astronomers were also able to track the object's orbit over 19 years by studying old data from other observatories. Ammonite has maintained a stable orbit for at least 4.5 billion years but its current orbit differs from those of the other known sednoids, according to the paper. The discovery indicates that the outer solar system is more diverse and complex than previously thought, according to NAOJ. In addition, the existence of Ammonite again calls into question the existence of a possible Planet Nine, a long-hypothesized ninth planet in the solar system that some say could explain the orbits of other distant objects through its gravitational influence, should it exist. "The fact that 2023 KQ14's current orbit does not align with those of the other three sednoids lowers the likelihood of the Planet Nine hypothesis," said Yukun Huang, an astronomer at the NAOJ and co-author of the paper. "It is possible that a planet once existed in the solar system but was later ejected, causing the unusual orbits we see today." MORE: Could our solar system have 9 planets after all? Astronomers may have confirmed possible existence. Ammonite was found as part of the FOSSIL survey project, which stands for the Formation of the Outer Solar System: An Icy Legacy, according to NAOJ. A more classical name will be assigned to the object by the International Astronomical Union at a later date, the researchers said. The Subaru Telescope is among the few telescopes on Earth capable of making such a discovery, according to the researchers. "I would be happy if the FOSSIL team could make many more discoveries like this one and help draw a complete picture of the history of the Solar System," Yoshida said. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
'Fossil' object discovered on outskirts of solar system
Astronomers have discovered a "fossil" body residing on the outskirts of the solar system, according to new research. The object – which goes by the formal designation 2023 KQ14 but is nicknamed 'Ammonite," in an apparent nod to the widely found, ancient fossilized mollusk – was detected by the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii, according to a paper published Tuesday in Nature Astronomy. Ammonite was discovered at its perihelion, which is the point in a celestial body's orbit at which it is closest to the sun, according to the paper. It lies beyond Pluto at a distance of 71 AU, or astronomical units – putting it 71 times the average distance between the sun and Earth, according to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), whose astronomers made the discovery. MORE: 100 undiscovered galaxies could be orbiting the Milky Way, according to new research The object was found in a region so far on the solar system's outskirts that gravity from Neptune, the planet farthest away from the sun in our solar system, has little influence on it, Fumi Yoshida, a planetary scientist at the NAOJ and co-author of the paper, said in a statement. Such objects are technically known as sednoids. Ammonite is only the fourth-ever sednoid to be discovered, the researchers said. "The presence of objects with elongated orbits and large perihelion distances in this area implies that something extraordinary occurred during the ancient era when 2023 KQ14 formed," Yoshida said. "Understanding the orbital evolution and physical properties of these unique, distant objects is crucial for comprehending the full history of the solar system." MORE: Webb telescope discovers stars forming in 'toe beans' of Cat's Paw Nebula Astronomers first noticed the object several times in 2023 and confirmed its existence with follow-up observations in 2024 by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in Hawaii, according to NAOJ. Astronomers were also able to track the object's orbit over 19 years by studying old data from other observatories. Ammonite has maintained a stable orbit for at least 4.5 billion years but its current orbit differs from those of the other known sednoids, according to the paper. The discovery indicates that the outer solar system is more diverse and complex than previously thought, according to NAOJ. In addition, the existence of Ammonite again calls into question the existence of a possible Planet Nine, a long-hypothesized ninth planet in the solar system that some say could explain the orbits of other distant objects through its gravitational influence, should it exist. "The fact that 2023 KQ14's current orbit does not align with those of the other three sednoids lowers the likelihood of the Planet Nine hypothesis," said Yukun Huang, an astronomer at the NAOJ and co-author of the paper. "It is possible that a planet once existed in the solar system but was later ejected, causing the unusual orbits we see today." MORE: Could our solar system have 9 planets after all? Astronomers may have confirmed possible existence. Ammonite was found as part of the FOSSIL survey project, which stands for the Formation of the Outer Solar System: An Icy Legacy, according to NAOJ. A more classical name will be assigned to the object by the International Astronomical Union at a later date, the researchers said. The Subaru Telescope is among the few telescopes on Earth capable of making such a discovery, according to the researchers. "I would be happy if the FOSSIL team could make many more discoveries like this one and help draw a complete picture of the history of the Solar System," Yoshida said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
'Fossil' object discovered on outskirts of solar system
Astronomers have discovered a "fossil" body residing on the outskirts of the solar system, according to new research. The object – which goes by the formal designation 2023 KQ14 but is nicknamed 'Ammonite," in an apparent nod to the widely found, ancient fossilized mollusk – was detected by the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii, according to a paper published Tuesday in Nature Astronomy. Ammonite was discovered at its perihelion, which is the point in a celestial body's orbit at which it is closest to the sun, according to the paper. It lies beyond Pluto at a distance of 71 AU, or astronomical units – putting it 71 times the average distance between the sun and Earth, according to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), whose astronomers made the discovery. MORE: 100 undiscovered galaxies could be orbiting the Milky Way, according to new research The object was found in a region so far on the solar system's outskirts that gravity from Neptune, the planet farthest away from the sun in our solar system, has little influence on it, Fumi Yoshida, a planetary scientist at the NAOJ and co-author of the paper, said in a statement. Such objects are technically known as sednoids. Ammonite is only the fourth-ever sednoid to be discovered, the researchers said. "The presence of objects with elongated orbits and large perihelion distances in this area implies that something extraordinary occurred during the ancient era when 2023 KQ14 formed," Yoshida said. "Understanding the orbital evolution and physical properties of these unique, distant objects is crucial for comprehending the full history of the solar system." MORE: Webb telescope discovers stars forming in 'toe beans' of Cat's Paw Nebula Astronomers first noticed the object several times in 2023 and confirmed its existence with follow-up observations in 2024 by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in Hawaii, according to NAOJ. Astronomers were also able to track the object's orbit over 19 years by studying old data from other observatories. Ammonite has maintained a stable orbit for at least 4.5 billion years but its current orbit differs from those of the other known sednoids, according to the paper. The discovery indicates that the outer solar system is more diverse and complex than previously thought, according to NAOJ. In addition, the existence of Ammonite again calls into question the existence of a possible Planet Nine, a long-hypothesized ninth planet in the solar system that some say could explain the orbits of other distant objects through its gravitational influence, should it exist. "The fact that 2023 KQ14's current orbit does not align with those of the other three sednoids lowers the likelihood of the Planet Nine hypothesis," said Yukun Huang, an astronomer at the NAOJ and co-author of the paper. "It is possible that a planet once existed in the solar system but was later ejected, causing the unusual orbits we see today." MORE: Could our solar system have 9 planets after all? Astronomers may have confirmed possible existence. Ammonite was found as part of the FOSSIL survey project, which stands for the Formation of the Outer Solar System: An Icy Legacy, according to NAOJ. A more classical name will be assigned to the object by the International Astronomical Union at a later date, the researchers said. The Subaru Telescope is among the few telescopes on Earth capable of making such a discovery, according to the researchers. "I would be happy if the FOSSIL team could make many more discoveries like this one and help draw a complete picture of the history of the Solar System," Yoshida said.
