New Object Found at Edge of Solar System

Rei writes to tell us NewScientist is reporting that a new object has been found beyond Pluto. The new object, nicknamed "Buffy", has an almost circular orbit which is tilted some 47 degrees off of most other bodies in our solar system. From the article: "Neptune has been blamed for scattering many other [Kuiper Belt Objects] into tilted paths. But these tend to show other signs of a past interaction with the giant planet, such as moving in elliptical paths and having one part of their orbit pass near Neptune's at 30 astronomical units from the Sun. [Buffy], however, follows a nearly circular path. And it is too distant to have come into direct contact with Neptune, traveling between 52 and 62 AU from the Sun. Its orbit is also too circular - and too small - to have been tilted by a passing star."

Comments

From TFA

[the computer guy nex]

"He ventures another possible explanation - that the Sun had a twin and that both stars followed circular orbits around each other"

2 problems with this.

1) Stars do not dissapear. They continue to have fusion on larger and larger elements until it hits a point it cannot generate enough heat to fuse the next one. None of our planets match the description of a dead star.

2) "Twin" stars are remarkably identical, and our sun has plenty of life left.

Re:From TFA

[GodfatherofSoul]

This is the old Nemesis star theory (also blamed for perturbing Oort cloud objects). I remember reading about it at least 10 years ago. But, I also recall reading back then that we had the ability to measure perturbations that it would cause with enough accuracy to confirm its existence within a few years (that being I'd think 15 years ago). Any resident astronomers?

Re:Other names

[Rakshasa Taisab]

Seems to me that the habit of naming new celestial bodies after pop-culture icons haven't changed during the few thousands of years we've been at it.

Re:A better Idea

[johnny cashed]

Well, Uranus was originally named Georgium Sidus after King George III of England. Talk about blatant ass kissing there.

Source: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronom y/planets/uranus/

"edge" of what now?

[option8]

how long until we redefine what the "edge" of the solar system is? since we keep finding new things further and further out.

are there objects outside the heliopause? would they be considered outside the solar system, or would that push the "edge" further still?

Re:"edge" of what now?

[Guppy06]

"are there objects outside the heliopause? would they be considered outside the solar system, or would that push the "edge" further still?"

No, not really. Heliopause marks where the sun's electromagnetic influences are cancelled out by the rest of the galaxy's. In many ways, it's a lot like a planet's magnetic sphere, only orders of magnitude more powerful.

With the relative strength of gravity compared to electromagnetism, it's highly doubtful that the suns gravity would have such a discernible influence. Consider the Jovian moon system and how large it is, then consider that the bowshock of Jupiter's magnetosphere extends about 1/3 AU towards us and the tail end goes out past Saturn.

Voyager 1 is at 90 AU and is only just now entering the heliopause proper, while the object in question is 60 AU tops.

Re:Small??

[Darius Jedburgh]

It stems from a confusion between 'small' as in size and 'small' as in insignificant. For some reason people seem to think that the fact that they are physically small compared to a galaxy, say, makes them insignificant, as if significance is a thing handed to you by the universe rather than being something humans find or make. I guess some people can't tell the difference between a literal and a metaphorical statement.

Re:The poor astrologers!

[Citizen of Earth]

Who will ever take them seriously when they say that someone has Buffy in scorpio, Santa in virgo, and Xena in pisces?

Um, exactly the same people who take them seriously now?

Direct contact?

[Pedrito]

"...follows a nearly circular path. And it is too distant to have come into direct contact with Neptune..."

I suspect that any Kuiper Belt object that's come in direct contact with Neptune is now part of Neptune.