2017 OF201: All about the new planet found beyond Pluto
Scientists have identified a new minor planet beyond
Pluto
, enhancing our knowledge of the
solar system
's outer boundaries. The celestial body, designated as
2017 OF201
, ranks among the largest distant objects ever detected, providing fresh insights into the
Kuiper Belt
and the remote regions of our planetary system.
The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center officially recognised 2017 OF201 after its detection in archived telescope data. The object's remarkable characteristics include its substantial size and distinctive orbital path. Its estimated diameter ranges from 470 to 820 kilometres (approximately 290 to 510 miles), placing it amongst known dwarf planets and substantial asteroids like Ceres.
Its highly eccentric orbit varies between 45 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun - approximately 45 times Earth's distance from the Sun - to a remarkable 838 AU at its apex. For context, Neptune orbits at about 30 AU. This extensive elliptical trajectory classifies 2017 OF201 as an extreme trans-Neptunian object (ETNO), belonging to a category of bodies residing in the solar system's furthest regions.
The Kuiper Belt, home to Pluto and other frozen bodies, remains an enigmatic region containing remnants from the solar system's formation over 4.5 billion years ago. The discovery of 2017 OF201 assists astronomers in understanding the origin, evolution, and formation of these objects, providing data about the solar system's early conditions.
The discovery of 2017 OF201 contributes to ongoing investigations regarding a potential ninth planet beyond Neptune. The theoretical "Planet Nine" would exert gravitational influence over several ETNOs' orbits. While 2017 OF201's trajectory doesn't precisely align with Planet Nine predictions, each newly discovered outer solar system object provides crucial data for refining astronomical models and theories.
Live Events
Beyond the Planet Nine theory, studying distant objects like 2017 OF201 enhances understanding of the solar system's outer structure and mechanics. These objects serve as preserved evidence of planetary movements, impacts, and other historical events.
Future facilities like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will accelerate the identification of distant solar system objects, improving our understanding of these remote areas. Current research continues to illuminate the solar system's boundaries and the principles governing our cosmic vicinity.
Overall, 2017 OF201 represents a significant discovery among trans-Neptunian objects. It addresses current knowledge gaps while extending our understanding of the solar system's reach, establishing foundations for future astronomical research.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
5 days ago
- India Today
One year here is 25,000 days: Possible Dwarf planet discovered in Solar System
Astronomers have long been on the hunt for planet X, a world hidden in the dark corner at the far reaches of the Solar System and they have hit upon a object about 700 kilometers wide has been detected in the frigid region of the Solar System that might qualify as a dwarf planet.A dwarf planet is a type of celestial body in our solar system that shares some similarities with regular (major) planets but doesn't meet all the criteria to be classified as Dubbed 2017 OF201, the object is trans-Neptunian orbiting the sun at a distance beyond that of Neptune. The object takes about 25,000 years to complete a single orbit of the sun, compared to 365 days for Earth to do so."It is potentially large enough to qualify as a dwarf planet. Its orbit is very wide and eccentric, which means it experienced an interesting orbital migration path in the past," said astrophysicist Sihao Cheng of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, who led the study. Cutout images of all 19 detections of the newly identified trans-Neptunian object. (Photo: Reuters) advertisementIts size is estimated to be slightly smaller than Ceres—the smallest of the five officially recognized dwarf planets—which measures about 590 miles (950 km) across. For comparison, Pluto, the largest among them, has a diameter of roughly 1,477 miles (2,377 km).As for its heft, 2017 OF201 is incredibly lightweight on a cosmic scale. Scientists estimate its mass is about 20,000 times less than Earth's and 50 times less than Pluto's."We don't know the shape yet," said astronomer Cheng. "Unfortunately, it's too far away and difficult to resolve with current telescopes." Its composition remains a mystery as well, though researchers believe it's probably similar to other icy objects in the outer solar object's discovery was announced by the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union, and the findings were detailed in a study posted on the open-access platform arXiv."We still don't know much about the solar system far away because currently, it is difficult to directly see things beyond about 150 astronomical units. The presence of this single object suggests that there could be another hundred or so other objects with similar orbit and size. They are just too far away to be detectable right now," Cheng Watch
The Print
6 days ago
- The Print
Possible new dwarf planet spotted near the edge of the solar system
Given the name 2017 OF201, the object falls into a category called trans-Neptunian objects that orbit the sun at a distance beyond that of Neptune. The object takes about 25,000 years to complete a single orbit of the sun, compared to 365 days for Earth to do so. The researchers called it one of the most distant visible objects in our solar system, and said its existence indicates that a vast expanse of space beyond the outermost planet Neptune and a region called the Kuiper Belt may not be deserted, as long thought. The Kuiper Belt is populated by numerous icy bodies. By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Scientists have identified an object about 435 miles (700 km) wide inhabiting the frigid outer reaches of our solar system that might qualify as a dwarf planet, spotting it as it travels on a highly elongated orbital path around the sun. The researchers said 2017 OF201 was identified in observations by telescopes in Chile and Hawaii spanning seven years. 'It is potentially large enough to qualify as a dwarf planet. Its orbit is very wide and eccentric, which means it experienced an interesting orbital migration path in the past,' said astrophysicist Sihao Cheng of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, who led the study with collaborators Jiaxuan Li and Eritas Yang, graduate students at Princeton University. Its size is estimated to be a bit smaller than Ceres, which is the smallest of the solar system's five recognized dwarf planets and has a diameter of about 590 miles (950 km). Pluto, the largest of those dwarf planets, has a diameter of about 1,477 miles (2,377 km). The mass of 2017 OF201 is estimated to be about 20,000 times smaller than Earth's and 50 times smaller than Pluto's. 'We don't know the shape yet. Unfortunately it is too far away and it is a bit difficult to resolve it with telescopes,' Cheng said. 'Its composition is totally unknown yet, but likely similar to other icy bodies.' The discovery was announced by the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union, an international organization of astronomers, and detailed in a study posted on the open-access research site arXiv. The study has not yet been peer reviewed. Earth's orbital distance from the sun is called an astronomical unit. 2017 OF201 is currently located at a distance of 90.5 astronomical units from the sun, meaning 90.5 times as far as Earth. But at its furthest point during its orbit, 2017 OF201 is more than 1,600 astronomical units from the sun, while the closest point on its orbit is about 45 astronomical units. That means it sometimes is closer to the sun than Pluto, whose orbital distance ranges from 30 to 49 astronomical units as it travels an elliptical path around the sun. The researchers suspect that the extreme orbit of 2017 OF201 may have been caused by a long-ago close encounter with the gravitational influence of a giant planet. 'We still don't know much about the solar system far away because currently it is difficult to directly see things beyond about 150 astronomical units,' Cheng said. 'The presence of this single object suggests that there could be another hundred or so other objects with similar orbit and size. They are just too far away to be detectable right now.' The five dwarf planets recognized by the International Astronomical Union are, in order of distance from the sun: Ceres, which is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, then Pluto, Haumea, Makemake and Eris, which all orbit beyond Neptune. The organization defines a planet and a dwarf planet differently. A planet must orbit its host star – in our case the sun – and must be mostly round and sufficiently large that its gravitational strength clears away any other objects of similar size near its orbit. A dwarf planet must orbit the sun and be mostly round but it has not cleared its orbit of other objects. Cheng said the discovery of 2017 OF201 has implications for hypotheses involving the potential existence of a ninth planet in our solar system, dubbed Planet X or Planet Nine. This is because 2017 OF201's orbit does not follow the pattern exhibited by other known trans-Neptunian objects, which tend to cluster together. Some scientists had hypothesized that such clustering was caused by the gravity of a yet-to-be discovered planet. 'The existence of 2017 OF201 as an outlier to such clustering could potentially challenge this hypothesis,' Cheng said. (Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Daniel Wallis) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hans India
7 days ago
- Hans India
What is Oumuamua? 6 Fascinating Facts About the First Interstellar Visitor to Our Solar System
In 2017, astronomers made a groundbreaking discovery: the first known interstellar object to pass through our solar system. Named 'Oumuamua—a Hawaiian word meaning 'a messenger from afar arriving first'—this mysterious object has intrigued scientists and the public alike ever since. Here are six key facts about this cosmic visitor. 1. Discovery That Changed Astronomy Oumuamua was detected on October 19, 2017, by the University of Hawaii's Pan-STARRS1 telescope. Officially designated 1I/2017 U1 by the International Astronomical Union, it was first classified as an asteroid before further analysis revealed behavior more akin to a comet, due to its unexpected acceleration. 2. Unusual Shape and Speed Oumuamua is estimated to be up to 400 meters long and unusually elongated—possibly ten times longer than it is wide. Its reddish hue is similar to many distant solar system objects. What stunned astronomers further was its rapid rotation every 7.3 hours and dramatic brightness variations. It was clocked moving at a staggering speed of 196,000 miles per hour (87.3 km/s). 3. A Dry, Mysterious Surface Unlike typical comets, Oumuamua displayed no visible gas or dust, which left astronomers puzzled. Its dry, metallic or rocky surface lacked the comet-like tail typically seen in icy bodies, leading researchers to suggest it had been bombarded by cosmic rays for millions of years during its interstellar journey. 4. Anomalous Acceleration After its closest approach to the Sun on September 9, 2017, Oumuamua began accelerating in a way that couldn't be fully explained by gravity alone. This unexpected movement sparked debate over its true nature—was it a comet, an asteroid, or something entirely different? Though it entered from the direction of the Lyra constellation, its origin remains unknown. 5. Natural Object—or Alien Tech? Some experts, most notably Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, suggested Oumuamua could be a piece of alien technology, such as a light sail. While this theory captured the public imagination, the dominant scientific consensus holds that it is a natural object—perhaps a fragment of a hydrogen ice body or a 'dark comet' unlike any seen before. 6. A Fleeting Visitor with a Long Legacy After briefly visiting the inner solar system, Oumuamua is now heading toward the constellation Pegasus, having already passed Mars's orbit by late 2017. It's expected to exit the solar system entirely by 2038. Scientists believe such interstellar objects may pass through our solar system roughly once a year, but most remain undetected due to their small size and speed.
