Latest news with #TNOs
Sharjah 24
07-07-2025
- Science
- Sharjah 24
SAO observes challenging stellar occultations
The importance of this event lies in the fact that it was caused by the asteroid Quaoar, one of the distant objects in our solar system known as Trans-Neptunian Objects(TNOs). Quaoar has an estimated diameter of about 1,110 kilometers, and it orbits the Sun at a distance of over 6.5 billion kilometers. During this occultation, Quaoar passed in front of a star and blocked its light for up to 45 seconds—a relatively long duration for such events. This offered an exceptional opportunity to analyze its size, shape, and physical properties. This occultation was particularly challenging due to its relatively long duration, the faintness of the occulted star, and its occurrence in a star-rich region near the center of the Milky Way. It is worth noting that the stellar occultation occurs when an asteroid passes in front of a distant star, temporarily blocking its light. The duration of the occultation depends on the asteroid's size, shape, and distance from Earth. This field is among the most precise branches of astronomy, requiring highly accurate instruments and telescopes synchronized with precise timing systems. 26 observatories worldwide participated in this event, attempting to capture it from various locations along or near the asteroid's shadow path. The Sharjah Astronomical Observatory was among the few that successfully recorded the occultation. Its optimal location along the central shadow path allowed for a complete and accurate observation. Many other observatories were unable to record the event due to weather conditions or being located outside the shadow path. This observation reflects the dedicated efforts of the Sharjah Astronomical Observatory team and reaffirms the Academy's role as a leading regional and international center in astronomical observation. It also underscores the Academy's ongoing contribution to the international scientific community by providing invaluable astronomical data, further strengthening the Emirate of Sharjah's status as a scientific hub committed to advancing research and education in space sciences.
New York Post
31-05-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Potential discovery of new dwarf planet adds wrinkle to Planet Nine theory
A team of scientists at the Institute for Advanced Study School of Natural Sciences in Princeton, New Jersey, might have found a new dwarf planet, potentially leading to more evidence of a theoretical super-planet. The scientists announced in a news release that they have found a trans-Neptune Object(TNO), code-named 2017OF201, located past the icy and desolate region of the Kuplier Belt. The TNO, which are described as minor planets that orbit the sun at a greater distance than Neptune, were found on the edge of our solar system. While there are plenty of other TNOs in the solar system, what makes 2017OF201 special is its large size and extreme orbit. One of the team leads, Sihao Cheng, along with Jiaxuan Li and Eritas Yang from Princeton University, made the discovery. The team used advanced computational methods to identify the object's distinctive trajectory pattern in the sky. 'The object's aphelion — the farthest point on the orbit from the Sun — is more than 1600 times that of the Earth's orbit,' Cheng said in the release. 'Meanwhile, its perihelion — the closest point on its orbit to the Sun — is 44.5 times that of the Earth's orbit, similar to Pluto's orbit.' 5 While there are plenty of other TNOs in the solar system, what makes 2017OF201 special is its large size and extreme orbit. Sihao Cheng et al. 5 The orbits of several TNO's including 2017OF201 labeled 'This TNO.' Sihao Cheng et al. 2017OF201 takes about 25,000 years to orbit the sun, making Yang suggest that 'It must have experienced close encounters with a giant planet, causing it to be ejected to a wide orbit.' Cheng also added that there may have been more than one step in its migration. 'It's possible that this object was first ejected to the Oort cloud, the most distant region in our solar system, which is home to many comets, and then sent back,' Cheng said. This discovery has significant implications for the current understanding of the layout of our outer solar system. 5 2017OF201 takes about 25,000 years to orbit the sun. Sihao Cheng et al. According to NASA, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) astronomers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown in January 2016 announced research that provided evidence for a planet about 1.5 times the size of Earth in the outer solar system. However, the existence of Planet X or Planet Nine is strictly theoretical as neither astronomer has actually observed such a planet. The theory puts the planet at around the same size as Neptune, far past Pluto somewhere near the Kuiper Belt, where 2017OF201 was located. 5 The four planets and sun of our solar system. NASA If it exists, it is theorized to have a mass of up to 10 times as much as Earth's with a distance of up to 30 times further than Neptune to the Sun. It would take between 10,000 and 20,000 Earth years to make one full orbit around the Sun. However, the area beyond the Kuiper Belt, where the object is located, had previously been thought to be essentially empty, but the team's discovery suggests that this is not so. 5 An artistic concept of the theorized Planet Nine made by Caltech on Jan. 20, 2016. Caltech/AFP via Getty Images Cheng said in the release that 2017OF201 only has about 1% of its orbit visible to us. 'Even though advances in telescopes have enabled us to explore distant parts of the universe, there is still a great deal to discover about our own solar system,' Cheng said. NASA mentioned that if Planet Nine exists, it could help explain the unique orbits of some smaller objects in the distant Kuiper Belt. As of now, Planet Nine remains all but a theory, but the existence of this far-off world rests on gravitational patterns in the outer solar system.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A New Dwarf Planet Has Joined Our Solar System's Family—Meet Pluto's 'Extreme Cousin'
Earth has a new neighbor that lives far, far away. Scientists from the Institute for Advanced Study's School of Natural Sciences believe they have found a new dwarf planet in extreme outer space. Officially named 2017 OF201, the object is estimated to be about one-third the diameter of Pluto, making it large enough to be classified as a dwarf planet, the same designation given to Pluto in 2006. According to the International Astronomical Union, to be considered a planet, an object must orbit a star, be mostly round, and be big enough that its gravity clears away any other objects of similar size near its orbit. Dwarf planets, like Pluto, can't clear their orbit of debris. Sihao Cheng, an astrophysicist at the Institute for Advanced Study's School of Natural Sciences who led the team that discovered the object, described it as an "extreme 'cousin' of Pluto." The new finding is known as a trans-Neptunian object, or TNO, which are bodies in the solar system that orbit the sun beyond Neptune, which is 30 times more distant from the sun than Earth. Because the object takes an incredibly lengthy 25,000 years to complete one orbit around the sun, it's only detectable at certain times. Cheng discovered the object as part of an ongoing research project to identify TNOs and possible new planets in the outer solar system. The area beyond the Kuiper Belt, where the object is located, has previously been thought to be empty, but the team's discovery suggests otherwise. "2017 OF201 spends only 1 percent of its orbital time close enough to us to be detectable. The presence of this single object suggests there could be another hundred or so other objects with similar orbits and sizes; they are just too far away to be detectable now," Cheng said. He added: "Even though advances in telescopes have enabled us to explore distant parts of the universe, there is still a great deal to discover about our own solar system." Read the original article on Martha Stewart
Newsweek
26-05-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
Astronomers Think They've Discovered a New Dwarf Planet in Our Solar System
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A team of astronomers believe they may have discovered a new dwarf planet—just like Pluto—on the edge of our solar system. The object—which orbits out beyond Neptune—has been named "2017 OF201" by the team, which was led by Sihao Cheng of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. Cheng and colleagues estimate that the body has a diameter of more than 430 miles, which means that it may be large enough to qualify as a dwarf planet. While further observations are required to determine its exact size, current estimates suggest that 2017 OF201 is the second-largest known object in such a wide orbit. So-called "trans-Neptunian objects" (TNOs) like 2017 OF201 can vary dramatically in size—from as large as 1,477 miles in diameter (i.e. Pluto) down to just 22 miles like the peanut-shaped Arrokoth. A stock image showing the view of Pluto from space. A stock image showing the view of Pluto from space. buradaki/Getty Images The region of space that TNOs occupy is commonly known as the Kuiper Belt, named after the Dutch-American astronomer Gerard Kuiper. Indeed, the discovery of 2017 OF201 could suggest that the space beyond Neptune in the Kuiper Belt may not be empty after all. Cheng said: "The object's aphelion—the farthest point on the orbit from the Sun—is more than 1,600 times that of the Earth's orbit. Meanwhile, its perihelion—the closest point on its orbit to the Sun—is 44.5 times that of the Earth's orbit, similar to Pluto's orbit." The extreme orbit of 2017 OF201 suggests that it could take approximately 25,000 years to go once around the sun. This could highlight a complex history of gravitational interactions, the researchers suggest. Cheng and his colleagues used advanced computational methods to identify the TNO's trajectory. "2017 OF201 spends only one percent of its orbital time close enough to us to be detectable. The presence of this single object suggests that there could be another hundred or so other objects with similar orbit and size; they are just too far away to be detectable now," Cheng continued. The potential dwarf planet was announced by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center on May 21, 2025. Cheng was able to identify the TNO by pinpointing bright spots in an astronomical image database from the Victor M. Blanco Telescope and Canada France Hawaii Telescope. He was then able to connect possible groups of such spots that appeared to move across the sky in the way a TNO could also do. By using a computationally efficient algorithm, Cheng was able to identity 2017 OF201 across 19 different exposures over seven years. The researchers suggest that the discovery of another dwarf planet like Pluto could have significant implications for our understanding of the outer solar system. Newsweek has contacted Cheng and the Institute for Advanced Study via email for comment. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about space? Let us know via science@ Reference Cheng, S., Li, J., & Yang, E. (2025). Discovery of a dwarf planet candidate in an extremely wide orbit: 2017 OF201 (arXiv:2505.15806v1 [ arXiv.
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Pluto's 'extreme cousin' is a dwarf planet found at the far reaches of our solar system
Pluto's 'extreme cousin' is a dwarf planet found at the far reaches of our solar system Astrophysicists have found a new planet, smaller than Pluto and considered that dwarf planet's 'extreme cousin' in a far-away part of the solar system thought to be empty. Show Caption Hide Caption James Webb captures Jupiter's shimmering aurora NASA'S James Webb Space Telescope captured new details of auroras on Jupiter. Earth has a newly-discovered neighbor in the solar system. But the heavenly body – possibly a dwarf planet à la Pluto – isn't a frequent visitor. Located beyond Neptune, its extreme orbit circumnavigates the sun once every 25,000 years, taking it beyond our solar system. The new object, named 2017 OF201, was discovered by researchers in an astronomical image database while searching for trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and possible new planets in the outer solar system. Sihao Cheng, an astrophysicist at the Institute for Advanced Study's School of Natural Sciences, led the team that discovered the object, which he described as an "extreme 'cousin' of Pluto," in a comment on his personal website. 2017 OF201 is about one-third the size of Pluto, which was reclassified as a dwarf planet in August 2006, and "is likely large enough to qualify as a dwarf planet, and its orbit is extremely wide," Cheng said. Jupiter: Our solar system's biggest planet used to be twice as large: Study New tough-to-detect dwarf planet has an extreme orbit 'The object's aphelion – the farthest point on the orbit from the Sun – is more than 1600 times that of the Earth's orbit,' Cheng said in a synopsis of the findings posted May 22 on the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) website. "Meanwhile, its perihelion – the closest point on its orbit to the Sun – is 44.5 times that of the Earth's orbit, similar to Pluto's orbit." The researchers identified 2017 OF201 using 19 different astronomical database exposures, captured over seven years. The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center officially announced the new object's discovery on May 21, the IAS said. 2017 OF201's extreme orbit makes it detectable about 1% of the time, the researchers said. Spotting 2017 OF201 beyond the Kuiper Belt, a donut-shaped section of space past the orbit of Neptune filled with icy debris, suggests the region may not be as empty as previously thought. "The presence of this single object suggests that there could be another hundred or so other objects with similar orbit and size; they are just too far away to be detectable now,' Cheng said in the synopsis. 'Even though advances in telescopes have enabled us to explore distant parts of the universe, there is still a great deal to discover about our own solar system.' The extreme orbit of 2017 OF201 also suggests the object "must have experienced close encounters with a giant planet, causing it to be ejected to a wide orbit,' said Eritas Yang, a Princeton University graduate student who assisted in the research, in the study synopsis. More than one galactic event could have created 2017 OF201's orbit, Cheng added. "It's possible that this object was first ejected to the Oort cloud, the most distant region in our solar system, which is home to many comets, and then sent back," he said. New dwarf planet could dash Planet X hypothesis The new object could also challenge the hypothesis that there's a "Planet X" or "Planet Nine" beyond Pluto, with gravity affecting dwarf planets and other objects in the Kuiper Belt. That's because 2017 OF201's orbit is "well outside the clustering observed in extreme (TNOs), which has been proposed as dynamical evidence for a distant, undetected planet," the researchers write in a draft version of their submitted research. "The existence of 2017 OF201 might suggest that Planet 9 or X doesn't exist," said Jiaxuan Li, another Princeton University astrophysical sciences grad student who collaborated on the research, on his personal website. But research will continue. "I hope Planet 9 still exists, because that'll be more interesting," Cheng told the New Scientist. Contributing: Doyle Rice and Elizabeth Weise. Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY's Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @ & @mikesnider & msnider@ What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
