ScienceDaily: Planet Eris (Xena) News

Retired star found with planets and debris disc

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:12:12 EDT

The European Space Agency's Herschel space observatory has provided the first images of a dust belt -- produced by colliding comets or asteroids -- orbiting a subgiant star known to host a planetary system.

Hubble reveals rogue planetary orbit for Fomalhaut b

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 18:36:36 EST

Newly released Hubble Space Telescope images of a vast debris disk encircling the nearby star Fomalhaut and a mysterious planet circling it may provide forensic evidence of a titanic planetary disruption in the system.

Evidence of asteroid belt around Vega

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 18:22:22 EST

Astronomers have discovered what appears to be a large asteroid belt around the star Vega, the second brightest star in northern night skies. The discovery of an asteroid belt-like band of debris around Vega makes the star similar to another observed star called Fomalhaut. The data are consistent with both stars having inner, warm belts and outer, cool belts separated by a gap. This architecture is similar to the asteroid and Kuiper belts in our own solar system.

Can life emerge on planets around cooling stars?

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:31:31 EST

New research hints that planets orbiting white and brown dwarfs, even in the habitable zone, face a "difficult path to habitability."

Do missing Jupiters mean massive comet belts?

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:12:12 EST

Astronomers have discovered vast comet belts surrounding two nearby planetary systems known to host only Earth-to-Neptune-mass worlds. The comet reservoirs could have delivered life-giving oceans to the innermost planets.

Dwarf planet Makemake lacks atmosphere: Distant frigid world reveals its secrets for first time

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:55:55 EST

Dwarf planet Makemake is about two thirds of the size of Pluto, and travels around the Sun in a distant path that lies beyond that of Pluto but closer to the Sun than Eris, the most massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System. Previous observations of chilly Makemake have shown it to be similar to its fellow dwarf planets, leading some astronomers to expect its atmosphere, if present, to be similar to that of Pluto. However, the new study now shows that, like Eris, Makemake is not surrounded by a significant atmosphere.

Comet collisions every six seconds explain 17-year-old stellar mystery

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 18:19:19 EST

Every six seconds, for many millions of years, comets have been colliding near a star visible to the naked eye, astronomers report.

Hubble discovers a fifth moon orbiting Pluto

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 12:30:30 EDT

A team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is reporting the discovery of another moon orbiting the icy dwarf planet Pluto. The moon is estimated to be irregular in shape and 6 to 15 miles across. It is in a 58,000-mile-diameter circular orbit around Pluto that is assumed to be co-planar with the other satellites in the system.

Giant planet ejected from the solar system?

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:21:21 EST

Just as an expert chess player sacrifices a piece to protect the queen, the solar system may have given up a giant planet and spared the Earth, according to a new article.

City lights could reveal E.T. civilization

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:03:03 EDT

In the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, astronomers have hunted for radio signals and ultra-short laser pulses. Astronomers suggest a new technique for finding aliens: Look for their city lights.

Faraway Eris is Pluto's twin

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:38:38 EDT

Astronomers have measured the diameter of the dwarf planet Eris by catching it as it passed in front of a faint star. This was seen by telescopes in Chile, including the TRAPPIST telescope at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Observatory. The observations show that Eris is an almost perfect twin of Pluto in size and appears to be covered in a layer of ice.

NASA's Spitzer detects comet storm in nearby solar system

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:19:19 EDT

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has detected signs of icy bodies raining down in an alien solar system. The downpour resembles our own solar system several billion years ago during a period known as the "Late Heavy Bombardment," which may have brought water and other life-forming ingredients to Earth.

Stardust discovered in far-off planetary systems

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 07:40:40 EDT

Searching for extra-solar planets -- which are planets outside of our solar system -- is very popular these days. About 700 planets are known at the moment, a number that is continuously rising due to refined observational techniques. Astronomers have just made a remarkable discovery: they were able to establish proof of so-called debris discs around two stars. The debris discs are remnants of the formation of the planets.

Astronomers find extreme weather on an alien world: Cosmic oddball may harbor a gigantic storm

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:33:33 EDT

A University of Toronto-led team of astronomers has observed extreme brightness changes on a nearby brown dwarf that may indicate a storm grander than any seen yet on a planet. Because old brown dwarfs and giant planets have similar atmospheres, this finding could shed new light on weather phenomena of extra-solar planets.

Astronomers find ice and possibly methane on Snow White, a distant dwarf planet

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:49:49 EDT

Astronomers have discovered that the dwarf planet 2007 OR10 -- nicknamed Snow White -- is an icy world, with about half its surface covered in water ice that once flowed from ancient, slush-spewing volcanoes. The new findings also suggest that the red-tinged dwarf planet may be covered in a thin layer of methane, the remnants of an atmosphere that's slowly being lost into space.

Dwarf planet Haumea shines with crystalline ice

Thu, 12 May 2011 08:30:30 EDT

The fifth dwarf planet of the solar system, Haumea, and at least one of its two satellites, are covered in crystalline water-ice due to the tidal forces between them and the heat of radiogenic elements, according to an international research study using observations from the VLT telescope at the European Southern Observatory in Chile.

New telescope is exploring solar system 'outback'

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:21:21 EST

In the outer reaches of our solar system lies a mysterious region far more remote and difficult to explore than the Australian outback. It remains the only part of our solar system not visited by spacecraft. A new telescope has begun to virtually explore the solar system outback, and already is scoring discoveries.

Neptune could not have knocked planetoids in Cold Classical Kuiper Belt to edge of solar system

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:41:41 EDT

New research is challenging popular theory about how part of our solar system formed. Contrary to popular belief, new evidence suggests the planet Neptune can't have knocked a collection of planetoids known as the Cold Classical Kuiper Belt to its current location at the edge of the solar system.

Planet-like object found circling a brown dwarf

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:43:43 EDT

As our telescopes grow more powerful, astronomers are uncovering objects that defy conventional wisdom. The latest example is the discovery of a planet-like object circling a brown dwarf. It's the right size for a planet, estimated to be 5-10 times the mass of Jupiter. But the object formed in less than 1 million years -- the approximate age of the brown dwarf -- and much faster than the predicted time it takes to build planets according to some theories.

Spot Discovered On Dwarf Planet Haumea Shows Up Red And Rich With Organics

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:25:25 EDT

A dark red area discovered on the dwarf planet Haumea appears to be richer in minerals and organic compounds than the surrounding icy surface.

Fifth Dwarf Planet Named Haumea

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:44:44 EDT

The International Astronomical Union has announced that the object previously known as 2003 EL61 is to be classified as the fifth dwarf planet in the Solar System and named Haumea. This now means that the family of dwarf planets in the Solar System is up to five.

'Plutoid' Chosen As Name For Solar System Objects Like Pluto

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:41:41 EDT

The International Astronomical Union has decided on the term plutoid as a name for dwarf planets like Pluto at a meeting of its Executive Committee in Oslo. Almost two years after the IAU General Assembly introduced the category of dwarf planets, the IAU, as promised, has decided on a name for transneptunian dwarf planets similar to Pluto.

Dwarf Planet Eris Is More Massive Than Pluto

Sun, 17 Jun 2007 13:06:06 EDT

Aptly named after the Greek goddess of conflict, the icy dwarf planet, Eris, has rattled the general model of our solar system. The object was discovered by astronomer Mike Brown of Caltech in the outer reaches of the Kuiper belt in 2005. Adding insult to injury for the former ninth planet, Brown has now determined that Eris is also more massive than Pluto.

Mission Could Seek Out Spock's Home Planet

Fri, 11 May 2007 08:13:13 EDT

Science fiction may soon become science fact. Astronomers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have recently concluded that the upcoming planet-finding mission, SIM PlanetQuest, would be able to detect an Earth-like planet around the star 40 Eridani, a planet familiar to "Star Trek" fans as "Vulcan."

Dwarf Planet Formerly Known As Xena Officially Named 'Eris'

Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:53:53 EDT

The International Astronomical Union has announced that the dwarf planet known as Xena since its 2005 discovery has been named Eris, after the Greek goddess of discord. Eris's moon will be known as Dysnomia, the demon goddess of lawlessness and the daughter of Eris.

Pluto Downgraded To 'Dwarf Planet' Status; Solar System Now Has Eight Planets

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 00:37:37 EDT

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has downgraded the status of Pluto to that of a "dwarf planet," a designation that will also be applied to the spherical body discovered last year by California Institute of Technology planetary scientist Mike Brown and his colleagues. The decision means that only the rocky worlds of the inner solar system and the gas giants of the outer system will hereafter be designated as planets.

Bigger Solar System? Astronomers Debate Definition Of 'Planet' And 'Plutons'

Wed, 16 Aug 2006 08:22:22 EDT

The world's astronomers, under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), have concluded two years of work defining the difference between "planets" and the smaller "solar system bodies" such as comets and asteroids. If the definition is approved by the astronomers gathered 14-25 August 2006 at the IAU General Assembly in Prague, our Solar System will include 12 planets, with more to come.

New Capture Scenario Explains Origin Of Neptune's Oddball Moon Triton

Thu, 11 May 2006 08:39:39 EDT

Triton, unique among all the large moons in the solar system because it orbits Neptune in a direction opposite to the planet's rotation, may have abandoned an earlier partner to arrive in its unusual orbit. According to a new model for the capture of planetary satellites, Triton was originally a member of a binary pair of objects orbiting the Sun before it was captured by Neptune in a three-body gravitational encounter.

Hubble Finds 'Tenth Planet' Is Slightly Larger Than Pluto

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 13:15:15 EDT

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has resolved the "tenth planet," nicknamed "Xena," for the first time and has found that it is only just a little larger than Pluto. Though previous ground-based observations suggested that Xena was about 30 percent greater in diameter than Pluto, Hubble observations taken on Dec. 9 and 10, 2005, yield a diameter of 1,490 miles (with an uncertainty of 60 miles) for Xena. Pluto's diameter, as measured by Hubble, is 1,422 miles.

Two New Dusty Planetary Disks May Be Astrophysical Mirrors Of Our Kuiper Belt

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 23:03:03 EST

In the search for planetary systems like our own, scientists are peering at nearby stars in search of dusty debris disks that presumably accompany planets. UC Berkeley astronomer Paul Kalas has just discovered two new stars -- the eighth and ninth to date -- that have rings of dust seemingly identical to the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune's orbit in our solar system. Hubble images show one has a narrow belt, the other a wide belt.

Kuiper Belt Moons Are Starting To Seem Typical

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 08:24:24 EST

In the not-too-distant past, the planet Pluto was thought to be an odd bird in the outer reaches of the solar system because it has a moon, Charon, that was formed much like Earth's own moon was formed. But Pluto is getting a lot of company these days. Of the four largest objects in the Kuiper belt, three have one or more moons.

Hubble Reveals Possible New Moons Around Pluto

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 19:30:30 EST

Using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to view the ninth planet in our solar system, astronomers discovered Pluto may have not one, but three moons. If confirmed, the discovery of the two new moons could offer insights into the nature and evolution of the Pluto system; Kuiper Belt Objects with satellite systems; and the early Kuiper Belt. The Kuiper Belt is a vast region of icy, rocky bodies beyond Neptune's orbit.

Tenth Planet Has A Moon

Mon, 03 Oct 2005 07:59:59 EDT

The newly discovered 10th planet, 2003 UB313, is looking more and more like one of the solar system's major players. It has the heft of a real planet (latest estimates put it at about 20 percent larger than Pluto), a catchy code name (Xena, after the TV warrior princess), and a Guinness Book-ish record of its own (at about 97 astronomical units-or 9 billion miles from the sun-it is the solar system's farthest detected object). And, astronomers from the California Institute of Technology and their colleagues have now discovered, it has a moon.

Scientists Discover Solar System's Tenth Planet -- Bigger Than Pluto

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 22:41:41 EDT

A planet larger than Pluto has been discovered in the outlying regions of the solar system. The planet was discovered using the Samuel Oschin Telescope at Palomar Observatory near San Diego, Calif. The planet is a typical member of the Kuiper belt, but its sheer size in relation to the nine known planets means that it can only be classified as a planet.

NASA's Hubble Chases Unruly Planet

Wed, 22 Jun 2005 13:55:55 EDT

A detailed image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope offers the strongest evidence yet that an unruly and unseen planet may be gravitationally tugging on a dusty ring around the nearby star Fomalhaut (HD 216956).

Astronomers Discover Beginnings Of 'Mini' Solar System

Tue, 08 Feb 2005 23:18:18 EST

Moons circle planets, and planets circle stars. Now, astronomers have learned that planets may also circle celestial bodies almost as small as planets. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted a dusty disk of planet-building material around an extraordinarily low-mass brown dwarf, or "failed star."

Hubble’s Infrared Eyes Home In On Suspected Extrasolar Planet

Tue, 11 Jan 2005 09:12:12 EST

Unique follow up observations carried out with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope are providing important supporting evidence for the existence of a candidate planetary companion to a relatively bright young brown dwarf star located 225 light-years away in the southern constellation Hydra.

Did Our Sun Capture Alien Worlds? Close Encounter May Explain Some Objects Beyond Neptune

Wed, 08 Dec 2004 23:58:58 EST

Computer simulations show a close encounter with a passing star about 4 billion years ago may have given our solar system its abrupt edge and put small, alien worlds into distant orbits around our sun.

Good News For Pluto: KBOs May Be Smaller Than Thought

Tue, 16 Nov 2004 23:40:40 EST

Pluto's status as our solar system's ninth planet may be safe if a recently discovered Kuiper Belt Object is a typical "KBO" and not just an oddball. Astronomers have new evidence that KBOs (Kuiper Belt Objects) are smaller than previously thought.

Cassini VIMS Team Finds That Phoebe May Be Kin To Comets

Thu, 24 Jun 2004 09:37:37 EDT

Scientists may at last have settled the debate on the origin of Saturn's moon, Phoebe. Saturn long ago captured its largest outermost satellite, Phoebe, when the moon wandered in from the frigid region beyond the orbit of Neptune called the Kuiper belt, they conclude.

Solar System 'Fossils' Discovered By Hubble Telescope

Mon, 08 Sep 2003 07:15:15 EDT

Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have discovered three of the faintest and smallest objects ever detected beyond Neptune. Each lump of ice and rock is roughly the size of Philadelphia and orbits just beyond Neptune and Pluto, where they may have rested since the formation of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago.

Hubble Spots An Icy World Far Beyond Pluto

Tue, 08 Oct 2002 06:37:37 EDT

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has measured the largest object in the solar system ever seen since the discovery of Pluto 72 years ago. Approximately half the size of Pluto, the icy world 2002 LM60, dubbed "Quaoar" (pronounced kwa-whar) by its discoverers, is the farthest object in the solar system ever to be resolved by a telescope.

Astronomers Discover Apparent "Outer Edge" To The Solar System

Mon, 30 Oct 2000 08:27:27 EST

Our solar system may have an outer "edge" just outside the orbit of Pluto, astronomers announced recently. Their results suggest that early in the history of the solar system, some event stripped away most of the planet-building material beyond 50 times Earth's distrance from the sun.

University Of Arizona Scientists Are First To Discover Debris Disk Around Star Orbited By Planet

Fri, 23 Oct 1998 07:32:32 EDT

Planetary scientists have discovered the first circumstellar disk ever seen around a star like our sun, a star known to be orbited by a planet. The system is more like our solar system than any yet found.