Hubble Finds that the 'Tenth Planet' is Slightly Larger than Pluto

[Jay-qu]

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. Xena is the large object at the bottom of this artist's concept. A portion of its surface is lit by the Sun, located in the upper left corner of the image. Xena's companion, Gabrielle, is located just above and to the left of Xena.

 

 

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Brown (California Institute of Technology)

[Racoon]

sounds cool! :)

 

A real vacation spot.

"Honey, pack your bags! we're going to Xena!" :)

[TheBigDog]

It is not a planet. Neither is Pluto. They are just big rocks, not part of the planetary formation of the solar system.

 

When will the astronomical world succumb to my will!

 

Bill

[Jay-qu]

No I also dont beleive them to be planets! but I was just posting the story, and thats the title :)

[TheBigDog]

No I also dont beleive them to be planets! but I was just posting the story, and thats the title :D

Life is unfair. I have owned a telescope for 10 years. I have used it at least 3 times. I read articles on astronomy from time to time. Why won't the establishment bow to my will already! :) :)

[Buffy]

You guys are just biased against small! Feh! I think they're both planets! So there! Pppbbbbt! :)

 

They got little hands and little eyes, :umno:

Buffy

[TheBigDog]

Listen missy! J and I may be close to wearing green and pedaling vegetables, but we don't need grief from the Lullaby League when it comes to determining the status of objects that orbit the sun! Do YOU own a telescope that sits on a shelf in the garage? Hmmm? :umno: :)

 

(I am suffering from delusions of grandure on this thread and am only partially responsible for any statements that are in context or reasonable.)

 

Bill

[Buffy]

Do YOU own a telescope that sits on a shelf in the garage?

Only boys buy stuff that they never use! Me and the kid go up to the local observatory and flirt with the nerds who actually know how to use their telescopes! And theirs are prolly a lot bigger than yours are! (oh wait, that's a different thread...)

I am suffering from delusions of grandure on this thread and am only partially responsible for any statements that are in context or reasonable.

You are hereby absolved of responsibility for your silly statements. :rolleyes:

 

A planet's a planet no matter how small!

Buffy

[Queso]

Hi 5 to Buffy.

 

Do you go to the Mt. Liche(sp?) observatory?

 

My mom took me there once...

there were icicles up there!

[Buffy]

Do you go to the Mt. Liche(sp?) observatory?

Lick Observatory on top of Mt. Hamilton. Not often, but I *love* the drive up and down the mountain (best thing is to go up the San Jose side then down into Livermore: make sure you have *good* brakes!).

 

Usually we go to the Chabot Space & Science Center: they have their big telescopes open most Friday-Sat evenings and the local amatuers bring their home scopes up there too and let you look through them. Its fun! Got the planetarium and curved Imax screen thingy too. Lots of cute nerds to choose from! That's what we like... :)

 

Oh so *that's* Saturn! :rolleyes:

Buffy

[Jay-qu]

I dont say they arnt planets by their size - its more to do with their orbital distance and their composition!

[Pyrotex]

...Do YOU own a telescope that sits on a shelf in the garage? Hmmm? :phones: ...

Hell, I BUILT 3 telescopes from 'scratch', that sat in the family garage for years after I left high school. So there!:evil:

 

You gotta draw the line somewhere. Gas giants and 'rockies' are planets, ice balls are ... something else. "Cometoids"? "Cryotesticles"?

:eek: