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[Sesuadra]

What's in the ice?

“I hope everyone has buckled their seatbelts because the outer solar system just got a lot weirder.” That’s what Michele Bannister, an astronomer at Queens University, Belfast tweeted on Monday.

She was referring to the discovery of a TNO or trans-Neptunian object, something which sits beyond Neptune in the outer solar system. This one is 160,000 times fainter than Neptune, which means the icy world could be less than 200 kilometres in diameter. It’s currently above the plane of the solar system and with every passing day, it’s moving upwards – a fact that makes it an oddity.

new scientist, CNet
and universe today
Link to the tweet

More scientific source.

Although the majority of Centaurs are thought to have originated in the scattered disk, with the high-inclination members coming from the Oort cloud, the origin of the high inclination component of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) remains uncertain. We report the discovery of a retrograde TNO, which we nickname "Niku", detected by the Pan-STARRS 1 Outer Solar System Survey. Our numerical integrations show that the orbital dynamics of Niku are very similar to that of 2008 KV42 (Drac), with a half-life of &#8764;500 Myr. Comparing similar high inclination TNOs and Centaurs (q>10 AU, a<100 AU and i>60&#8728, we find that these objects exhibit a surprising clustering of ascending node, and occupy a common orbital plane. This orbital configuration has high statistical significance: 3.8-&#963;. An unknown mechanism is required to explain the observed clustering. This discovery may provide a pathway to investigate a possible reservoir of high-inclination objects.

Cornell University: Discovery of A New Retrograde Trans-Neptunian Object: Hint of A Common Orbital Plane for Low Semi-Major Axis, High Inclination TNOs and Centaurs

Book me a vacation to neptune if old.

Edit:

If they're not careful some uneducated plebe may understand one of those sentences.

They don't understand what is keeping its orbit. Why they can't just say that in plain English is beyond me. For example they've tried models with a ninth-planet theory and it doesn't hold this weird orbit still or another example is they've compared against other objects orbiting Neptune and still no rational explanation etc.

 

[Kas]

What if this is retribution from aliens from us finding that beacon?

 

[Socreges]

Although the majority of Centaurs are thought to have originated in the scattered disk, with the high-inclination members coming from the Oort cloud, the origin of the high inclination component of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) remains uncertain. We report the discovery of a retrograde TNO, which we nickname "Niku", detected by the Pan-STARRS 1 Outer Solar System Survey. Our numerical integrations show that the orbital dynamics of Niku are very similar to that of 2008 KV42 (Drac), with a half-life of &#8764;500 Myr. Comparing similar high inclination TNOs and Centaurs (q>10 AU, a<100 AU and i>60&#8728, we find that these objects exhibit a surprising clustering of ascending node, and occupy a common orbital plane. This orbital configuration has high statistical significance: 3.8-&#963;. An unknown mechanism is required to explain the observed clustering. This discovery may provide a pathway to investigate a possible reservoir of high-inclination objects.

If they're not careful some uneducated plebe may understand one of those sentences.

 

[Clydefrog]

probably just some space swamp gas

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

If they're not careful some uneducated plebe may understand one of those sentences.

They don't understand what is keeping its orbit. Why they can't just say that in plain English is beyond me. For example they've tried models with a ninth-planet theory and it doesn't hold this weird orbit still or another example is they've compared against other objects orbiting Neptune and still no rational explanation etc.

 

[SaviourMK2]

 

[Sesuadra]

probably just some space swamp gas

Alien weather-baloon

 

[super-famicom]

It's poop from Uranus

 

[Unit 33]

ALL THESE WORLDS
ARE YOURS EXCEPT
NEPTUNE
ATTEMPT NO
LANDING THERE
USE THEM TOGETHER
USE THEM IN PEACE

 

[kavanf1]

Russell's teapot?

 

[Magnet_Man]

What if this is retribution from aliens from us finding that beacon?

I read that as bacon and it made a ton of sense.

 

[jiggle]

Alien observation outpost

 

[xk0sm0sx]

Centuars? Did you just say centaurs!?

 

[aaaaa0]

OMG they've discovered the first mass relay.

 

[WeTeHa]

OMG they've discovered the first mass relay.

Came to post this lol

 

[Plywood]

It's about time they made contact.

 

[platakul]

awkward when they find out its a bit of dust on the telescope lens

 

[Bold One]

 

[AxelFoley]

They don't understand what is keeping its orbit. Why they can't just say that in plain English is beyond me. For example they've tried models with a ninth-planet theory and it doesn't hold this weird orbit still or another example is they've compared against other objects orbiting Neptune and still no rational explanation etc.

Fuck 'em. This is what they get for downgrading Pluto.

 

[Dynamite Shikoku]

Is it hoth

 

[-Plasma Reus-]

Although the majority of Centaurs are thought to have originated in the scattered disk, with the high-inclination members coming from the Oort cloud, the origin of the high inclination component of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) remains uncertain. We report the discovery of a retrograde TNO, which we nickname "Niku", detected by the Pan-STARRS 1 Outer Solar System Survey. Our numerical integrations show that the orbital dynamics of Niku are very similar to that of 2008 KV42 (Drac), with a half-life of &#8764;500 Myr. Comparing similar high inclination TNOs and Centaurs (q>10 AU, a<100 AU and i>60&#8728, we find that these objects exhibit a surprising clustering of ascending node, and occupy a common orbital plane. This orbital configuration has high statistical significance: 3.8-&#963;. An unknown mechanism is required to explain the observed clustering. This discovery may provide a pathway to investigate a possible reservoir of high-inclination objects.

Thank you Lieutenant Dax.

 

[brian577]

 

[Dagobert Duck]

I understood some of those words...

 

[Kwansu Dudes]

awkward when they find out its a bit of dust on the telescope lens

Melting moon

 

[FelixOrion]

If they're not careful some uneducated plebe may understand one of those sentences.

They don't understand what is keeping its orbit. Why they can't just say that in plain English is beyond me. For example they've tried models with a ninth-planet theory and it doesn't hold this weird orbit still or another example is they've compared against other objects orbiting Neptune and still no rational explanation etc.

The raw research papers are meant to be more or less highly technical in nature and are kind of meant primarily to be read and analyzed for their colleagues in their field (not so much the layman), so they write making some assumptions as to the reader's technical and base knowledge in the field, which allows them to unambiguously define their results and conclusions (though the abstract is meant to still be tl;dr of sorts). This is really not unique to astronomy though; any of the hard sciences have pretty wordy, highly technical literature.

 

[davepoobond]

Planet xXx

 

[Resilient]

Our numerical integrations show that the orbital dynamics of Niku are very similar to that of 2008 KV42 (Drac), with a half-life of &#8764;500 Myr

Holy hell!! ~500 MYR?! That's bloody insane!!

 

[Drazgul]

Is it hoth

Nah pretty sure it's cold.

 

[Plywood]

Planet xXx

 

[Beren the Empty-Handed]

Thank you Lieutenant Dax.

I legit laughed out loud at this.

 

[Volimar]

Holy hell!! ~500 MYR?! That's bloody insane!!

Looking this up tells me that it's about equal to $124.

 

[Sesuadra]

Thank you Lieutenant Dax.

I actually wanted to write "science source for the voyager technobabble fans"

 

[subrock]

Holy hell!! ~500 MYR?! That's bloody insane!!

I'm not getting excited until 700

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

Wait, centaurs originate in Neptune?!?!

 

[Escape Goat]

Its not me, is it?

 

[SiegfriedFM]

Finally, Rama is here.

 

[DragonSworne]

Disclosure is happening soon folks.

If this isn't proof enough just wait until Hillary becomes President and reveals all.

 

[Starfield]

Planet alamo

 

[Monocle]

More like currently unexplained. Let's not get all God of the Gaps here.

OMG they've discovered the first mass relay.

It's about bloody time.

 

[Newlove]

Disclosure is happening soon folks.

If this isn't proof enough just wait until Hillary becomes President and reveals all.

I keep seeing people say a full disclosure is not far off. You really think a government will just come out and announce alien life? If real, these things have been kept ridiculously under tight wraps for years. They wouldn't just be like 'eh what the hell, lets tell all'. It will never happen, unless its from NASA finding some tiny organisms on Mars.

 

[Razmos]

I identify as trans-neptunian

 

[SJRB]

I keep having this dream. I'm just staring into the black between the stars. There's something there. I know there is. I can't see it, but it sees me. It sees.. Everything.



...Launch the nukes.

 

[hurricanes]

I have to read the statement three times to understand what they are trying to say(to us noob)
GAFers do a better job at conveying the message.

I highly doubt it is because of aliens though.

 

[MogCakes]

If it's moving 'up', that implies a 'vertical' orbit, no?

 

[UglyPony]

OMG they've discovered the first mass relay.

If only

 

[True Savior]

The Ramans do everything in threes

 

[Jintor]

This better be a teapot or a kerbal

 

[SPCTRE]

oh shit

 

[KeyBladerXIII]

I'm going to guess it's a rock.

 

[AGoodODST]

Space whale.