Latest news with #Sednoid
International Business Times
3 days ago
- Science
- International Business Times
Ammonite Discovered Beyond Pluto: Is This the Real Ninth Planet?
Japanese astronomers have discovered a far-off object orbiting the Sun well beyond Neptune, suggesting that an extraordinary event occurred in the early solar system. The discovery was made by astronomers using the Subaru Telescope, which is situated atop a dormant volcano in Hawaii. They observed a tiny object orbiting 252 astronomical units (AUs), which is the furthest away from the Sun. An AU is the average distance between the Sun and Earth. As a tribute to its status as an extreme remnant of the early solar system, scientists named it Ammonite, after a group of extinct marine animals, and officially designated it 2023 KQ14. In comparison, Pluto is typically around 40 astronomical units away from the Sun, so 2023 KQ14 is a long way off. It takes around 34 hours for light reflected off ammonite to reach Earth from a distance of 23.4 billion miles (37.7 billion kilometers). First Identified by Astronomers in 2023? The discovery, which was reported in Nature Astronomy on Tuesday, July 15, is the fourth "Sednoid" to be found. The extremely elongated orbits of this group of far-off, trans-Neptunian objects extend beyond the Kuiper Belt. Sednoids are not affected by the gravitational field of the Sun because they are not attached to it, in contrast to other objects that orbit the Sun beyond Neptune. In 2003, astronomers made the first Sednoid discovery, which they called Sedna. Ammonite was first identified by astronomers in 2023 as part of Subaru's FOSSIL (Formation of the Outer Solar System: An Icy Legacy) survey project. Using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, follow-up observations in July 2024 verified the discovery and showed the orbit of the object. Astronomers were also able to more accurately simulate its orbit after spotting it in 2021 and 2014 archive photos. The discovery team's computer simulations indicate that ammonite has been in a stable orbit for at least 4.5 billion years. It is only 66 astronomical units away from the Sun when it is at its closest. Currently, ammonite orbits in a different way than its Sednoid counterparts. Nonetheless, the simulations showed that approximately 4.2 billion years ago, the orbits of the four known Sednoids were remarkably similar. Planet Nine Theory This raises doubts about the existence of the Planet Nine theory. The long-held belief that a massive ninth planet orbits the Sun beyond Neptune is supported in large part by sednoids. It is possible that a ninth, unidentified planet is pulling on the Sednoids because the collection of tiny objects follows an oddly aligned, elongated orbit that cannot be explained by the gravitational pull of the solar system's known planets. Yukun Huang, a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan who carried out the simulations of Ammonite's orbit, said in a statement, "The fact that Ammonite's current orbit does not align with those of the other three sednoids lowers the likelihood of the Planet Nine hypothesis." "It is possible that a planet once existed in the Solar System but was later ejected, causing the unusual orbits we see today," Huang added. The estimated width of ammonite ranges from 136 to 236 miles (220 to 380 kilometers). Despite its small size, it is a sign that something much bigger is going on. Fumi Yoshida, a planetary scientist and co-author of the new study, said, "Ammonite was found in a region far away where Neptune's gravity has little influence. The presence of objects with elongated orbits and large perihelion distances in this area implies that something extraordinary occurred during the ancient era when Ammonite formed." "Understanding the orbital evolution and physical properties of these unique, distant objects is crucial for comprehending the full history of the solar system," Yoshida concluded.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Mysterious new world has just been discovered in our solar system
Astronomers have discovered a new world circling the outer edges of our solar system. Researchers using the Subaru Telescope, located in Hawaii, spotted a small, distant object called 2023 KQ14 far beyond Pluto. They've given it the nickname Ammonite. 2023 KQ14 is a rare type of object called a 'sednoid,' a small, icy body in the outer solar system, similar to the icy rocks floating in the Kuiper Belt or dwarf planets like Pluto. So far, there are only four known objects like it in our solar system. 2023 KQ14 is about 71 times farther from the sun than Earth is. This object follows a unique, stretched-out orbit that has stayed stable for about 4.5 billion years. Scientists found that 2023 KQ14's orbit was similar to the other sednoids in the solar system for billions of years, but that has mysteriously changed over time, suggesting the outer solar system is a more complex space than we thought. This discovery also makes the possible existence of 'Planet Nine' less likely, as 2023 KQ14's orbit doesn't quite fit with where scientists believe that world would be. Dr Yukun Huang from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan said: 'It is possible that a planet once existed in the solar system but was later ejected, causing the unusual orbits we see today.'
Gizmodo
4 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
Astronomers Discover Potential Dwarf Planet Lurking Way Beyond Pluto
Astronomers in Japan have spotted a distant object orbiting the Sun far beyond Neptune, pointing to an extraordinary event that took place during the earliest years of the solar system. Astronomers used the Subaru Telescope, perched atop a dormant volcano in Hawaii, to make the discovery. They observed a small object orbiting at a farthest distance of 252 AU from the Sun, in which one astronomical unit equals the average distance between the Sun and Earth. Scientists gave it the formal designation 2023 KQ14 and nicknamed it Ammonite, after an extinct group of marine animals—a nod to its status as an extreme relic of the early solar system. For reference, Pluto's average distance from the Sun is about 40 AU, so 2023 KQ14 is quite distant. At 23.4 billion miles (37.7 billion kilometers) away, light reflecting off Ammonite takes approximately 34 hours to reach Earth. The discovery, published in Nature Astronomy on Tuesday, marks the fourth detection of a 'Sednoid.' This group of distant, trans-Neptunian objects have extremely elongated orbits that stretch past the Kuiper Belt. Unlike other objects that orbit the Sun past Neptune, Sednoids are detached from the giant planet, meaning they are not influenced by its gravitational field. Astronomers discovered the first Sednoid, named Sedna, in 2003. Astronomers first discovered Ammonite in 2023 through Subaru's survey project, FOSSIL (Formation of the Outer Solar System: An Icy Legacy). Follow-up observations in July 2024 using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope confirmed the discovery, revealing the object's orbit. It was also spotted in archive images taken in 2021 and 2014, allowing astronomers to simulate its orbit with greater accuracy. Using computer simulations, the researchers behind the discovery suggest that Ammonite has maintained a stable orbit for at least 4.5 billion years. At its closest approach to the Sun, it comes within 66 AUs from the star. Unlike its Sednoid counterparts, Ammonite currently follows a different orbit. The simulations, however, indicated that the orbits of all four known Sednoids were once very similar around 4.2 billion years ago. This puts into question the existence of the theorized Planet Nine. Sednoids are one of the key pieces of evidence behind the long-held theory that a massive ninth planet orbits the Sun beyond Neptune. The group of small objects follows an oddly aligned, elongated orbit that can't be explained based on the gravitational influence of the known planets of the solar system, suggesting that a ninth, undiscovered planet may be tugging at the Sednoids. 'The fact that Ammonite's current orbit does not align with those of the other three sednoids lowers the likelihood of the Planet Nine hypothesis,' Yukun Huang, a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan who carried out the simulations of Ammonite's orbit, said in a statement. 'It is possible that a planet once existed in the Solar System but was later ejected, causing the unusual orbits we see today.' Ammonite is estimated to be between 136 and 236 miles wide (220 and 380 kilometers). Although tiny, its presence is indicative of something much larger at play. 'Ammonite was found in a region far away where Neptune's gravity has little influence. The presence of objects with elongated orbits and large perihelion distances in this area implies that something extraordinary occurred during the ancient era when Ammonite formed,' Fumi Yoshida, a planetary scientist and co-author of the new study, said in a statement. 'Understanding the orbital evolution and physical properties of these unique, distant objects is crucial for comprehending the full history of the solar system.'
