New Discoveries

The cold depths of space
still holds the unknown
Unknown being the case
As far in space as we can comb
Herein lies a lonely quiet place
Devoid of time, energy and purpose
It floats awaiting the moment of its discovery

- Trey Dunn

 

* NASA-funded researchers have discovered the most distant object orbiting Earth's Sun. The object is a mysterious planet-like body three times farther from Earth than Pluto.

 
About the Object Object Name: 2003 VB16 ("Sedna")
Object Type: Previously undetected Solar System body
Position (J2000): RA: 3h15m10s Dec: +5d38m15s
Current Distance: 8 billion miles
Constellation (15 March 2004): Cetus
About the Data Image Credit: NASA/Caltech/M. Brown
Exposure Date: November 14, 2003
Image Scale: 3.4 x 3.4 arcmin
Orientation: North is up
Release Date: March 15, 2004
 
Observers: Mike Brown (Caltech)
Chad Trujillo (Gemini Observatory, Hawaii)
David Rabinowitz (Yale University)
 

 

* Video of its whereabouts in our Galaxy

* These three panels show the first detection of the faint distant object dubbed "Sedna." Imaged on November 14th, 2003 from 6:32 to 9:38 Universal Time, Sedna was identified by the slight shift in position noted in these three pictures taken at different times. Subsequent observations at longer time intervals provided the information necessary to deduce the nature of Sedna's 10,500 year orbit around the Sun. The field of view of each frame is 3.4 arcminutes square, and each pixel is 1.0 arcsecond.

* The artist's rendition shows the newly discovered planet-like object, dubbed "Sedna," in relation to other bodies in the Solar System, including Earth and its Moon; Pluto; and Quaoar, a planetoid beyond Pluto that was until now the largest known object beyond Pluto. The diameter of Sedna is slightly smaller than Pluto's but likely somewhat larger than Quaoar.

* These four panels show the location of the newly discovered planet-like object, dubbed "Sedna," which lies in the farthest reaches of our Solar System. Each panel, moving counterclockwise from the upper left, successively zooms out to place Sedna in context. The first panel shows the orbits of the inner planets, including Earth, and the asteroid belt that lies between Mars and Jupiter. In the second panel, Sedna is shown well outside the orbits of the outer planets and the more distant Kuiper Belt objects. Sedna's full orbit is illustrated in the third panel along with the object's current location. Sedna is nearing its closest approach to the Sun; its 10,000-year orbit typically takes it to far greater distances. The final panel zooms out much farther, showing that even this large elliptical orbit falls inside what was previously thought to be the inner edge of the Oort cloud. The Oort cloud is a spherical distribution of cold, icy bodies lying at the limits of the Sun's gravitational pull. Sedna's presence suggests that this Oort cloud is much closer than scientists believed.

* This view shows where the newly discovered planet-like body, dubbed "Sedna," would lie in the evening skies at around 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Currently it is located in the constellation of Cetus and forms a triangle with Mars and Jupiter in the direction of the setting Sun. Sedna is so faint, however, that it can not be seen with the naked eye, or with telescopes typically used by amateur astronomers.