Comments on: Far-Out Space Rock Is Weirdly Bright, Clean, & Shiny

By: XPT

XPT — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:59:09 +0000

It would be amazing if New Horizon could visit this object after Pluto!

If this is the same KBO: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/(55636)_2002_TX300 there is an interesting spectral analysis: “As suggested by Licandro et al. 2006, this lack of irradiated mantle suggest either a recent collision or comet activity.”

By: Julian Strong

Julian Strong — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 01:09:12 +0000

I like the idea JMW had, but if it had recently broken apart or collided with another object in space wouldn’t the surface of the object appear to be marred or irregular in it’s luster? Unless the object is made of the same material all the way through it would show very detectable changes in not only the texture of the object but there would be obvious fracture lines where the inside of the object may or may not be a different material then on the outside. Unless the object broke apart many many years ago. Perhaps the object had recently left a warm spot in our solar system only recently cooling to the point of forming ice around it’s body.

By: Richard Fidler

Richard Fidler — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:16:16 +0000

Is it certain the thing is made of water ice? Could it be made of something else? Don’t want to suggest it could be the Death Star….

By: Andrew Moseman

Andrew Moseman — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:36:51 +0000

Laurel,

I appreciate your passion on Pluto’s behalf. I just wanted to remind readers who might not know that Pluto is a resident of the Kuiper Belt; it wasn’t my intention to suggest that it’s not a dwarf planet. Indeed, it’s both.

By: Laurel Kornfeld

Laurel Kornfeld — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:27:27 +0000

Pluto is BOTH a planet and a Kuiper Belt Object. Why is this so hard for some to understand? Dwarf planets are planets too, in spite of the controversial IAU definition, adopted by only four percent of its membership. It is New Horizons Principal Investigator Dr. Alan Stern who coined the term dwarf planet in the first place to mean a third class of planets in addition to terrestrials and jovians. He never intended for dwarf planets to not be considered planets at all. Notably, only four percent of the IAU voted on the demotion, and most are not planetary scientists. Hundreds of professional astronomers led by Stern immediately rejected the IAU decision in a formal petition. This debate is very much ongoing, and referring to Pluto as a planet is a perfectly acceptable scientific position. It is a disservice to readers to present one side of the ongoing planet debate as fact when it is really only one interpretation.

By: JMW

JMW — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:49:03 +0000

Perhaps the side presented to Elliot’s team is relatively new, if KBO 55636 collided with something and broke apart?