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Moon around Kuiper Belt Object

Posted by michael on from the waltzing-matilda dept.

UncleJosh writes "Today's NY Times (free reg rq'd) has a story about the first Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) with a moon, 1998 WW31. The hubble telescope has been used to get information about the size and orbit of the moon. Seems lots of things have moons. Coming more than 20 years after the discovery of Pluto's moon Charon the discovery of a KBO with a moon also follows the discovery of asteroid Ida's moon Dactyl and other moons of asteriods."

3 of 37 comments (clear)

  1. Read Kim Stanly Robinson by Noodlenose · · Score: 2, Interesting

    In the "Mars" Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson he envisions a time when mankind will actually settle on Kuiper Belt Objects to mine them: Nice if you like low gravity. And now you can even see a moon rise :-)

  2. Too bad this isn't in the main section by ramoth4 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'd like to see what others think about this, instead of a measly 2 replys.

    This poses major questions though, about what exactly is a planet. Is Jupieter a planet? It puts out more heat than it takes in. What about Pluto? It's not in a regular orbit. What about that whole "Nemesis" theory? What's that got to do with this?

    1. Re:Too bad this isn't in the main section by seann · · Score: 2, Interesting

      apparently, they've ruled out pluto as a planet. I have the reference, but it's in a big book with no cover under my bed holding it up on it's edge.
      I supose they consider jupiter a planet, because it is large. "Gas Giant"

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