Latest news with #TNOs
New York Post
a day ago
- Science
- New York Post
Potential discovery of new dwarf planet adds wrinkle to Planet Nine theory
A team of scientists at the Institute for Advanced Study School of Natural Sciences in Princeton, New Jersey, might have found a new dwarf planet, potentially leading to more evidence of a theoretical super-planet. The scientists announced in a news release that they have found a trans-Neptune Object(TNO), code-named 2017OF201, located past the icy and desolate region of the Kuplier Belt. The TNO, which are described as minor planets that orbit the sun at a greater distance than Neptune, were found on the edge of our solar system. While there are plenty of other TNOs in the solar system, what makes 2017OF201 special is its large size and extreme orbit. One of the team leads, Sihao Cheng, along with Jiaxuan Li and Eritas Yang from Princeton University, made the discovery. The team used advanced computational methods to identify the object's distinctive trajectory pattern in the sky. 'The object's aphelion — the farthest point on the orbit from the Sun — is more than 1600 times that of the Earth's orbit,' Cheng said in the release. 'Meanwhile, its perihelion — the closest point on its orbit to the Sun — is 44.5 times that of the Earth's orbit, similar to Pluto's orbit.' 5 While there are plenty of other TNOs in the solar system, what makes 2017OF201 special is its large size and extreme orbit. Sihao Cheng et al. 5 The orbits of several TNO's including 2017OF201 labeled 'This TNO.' Sihao Cheng et al. 2017OF201 takes about 25,000 years to orbit the sun, making Yang suggest that 'It must have experienced close encounters with a giant planet, causing it to be ejected to a wide orbit.' Cheng also added that there may have been more than one step in its migration. 'It's possible that this object was first ejected to the Oort cloud, the most distant region in our solar system, which is home to many comets, and then sent back,' Cheng said. This discovery has significant implications for the current understanding of the layout of our outer solar system. 5 2017OF201 takes about 25,000 years to orbit the sun. Sihao Cheng et al. According to NASA, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) astronomers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown in January 2016 announced research that provided evidence for a planet about 1.5 times the size of Earth in the outer solar system. However, the existence of Planet X or Planet Nine is strictly theoretical as neither astronomer has actually observed such a planet. The theory puts the planet at around the same size as Neptune, far past Pluto somewhere near the Kuiper Belt, where 2017OF201 was located. 5 The four planets and sun of our solar system. NASA If it exists, it is theorized to have a mass of up to 10 times as much as Earth's with a distance of up to 30 times further than Neptune to the Sun. It would take between 10,000 and 20,000 Earth years to make one full orbit around the Sun. However, the area beyond the Kuiper Belt, where the object is located, had previously been thought to be essentially empty, but the team's discovery suggests that this is not so. 5 An artistic concept of the theorized Planet Nine made by Caltech on Jan. 20, 2016. Caltech/AFP via Getty Images Cheng said in the release that 2017OF201 only has about 1% of its orbit visible to us. 'Even though advances in telescopes have enabled us to explore distant parts of the universe, there is still a great deal to discover about our own solar system,' Cheng said. NASA mentioned that if Planet Nine exists, it could help explain the unique orbits of some smaller objects in the distant Kuiper Belt. As of now, Planet Nine remains all but a theory, but the existence of this far-off world rests on gravitational patterns in the outer solar system.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
A New Dwarf Planet Has Joined Our Solar System's Family—Meet Pluto's 'Extreme Cousin'
Earth has a new neighbor that lives far, far away. Scientists from the Institute for Advanced Study's School of Natural Sciences believe they have found a new dwarf planet in extreme outer space. Officially named 2017 OF201, the object is estimated to be about one-third the diameter of Pluto, making it large enough to be classified as a dwarf planet, the same designation given to Pluto in 2006. According to the International Astronomical Union, to be considered a planet, an object must orbit a star, be mostly round, and be big enough that its gravity clears away any other objects of similar size near its orbit. Dwarf planets, like Pluto, can't clear their orbit of debris. Sihao Cheng, an astrophysicist at the Institute for Advanced Study's School of Natural Sciences who led the team that discovered the object, described it as an "extreme 'cousin' of Pluto." The new finding is known as a trans-Neptunian object, or TNO, which are bodies in the solar system that orbit the sun beyond Neptune, which is 30 times more distant from the sun than Earth. Because the object takes an incredibly lengthy 25,000 years to complete one orbit around the sun, it's only detectable at certain times. Cheng discovered the object as part of an ongoing research project to identify TNOs and possible new planets in the outer solar system. The area beyond the Kuiper Belt, where the object is located, has previously been thought to be empty, but the team's discovery suggests otherwise. "2017 OF201 spends only 1 percent of its orbital time close enough to us to be detectable. The presence of this single object suggests there could be another hundred or so other objects with similar orbits and sizes; they are just too far away to be detectable now," Cheng said. He added: "Even though advances in telescopes have enabled us to explore distant parts of the universe, there is still a great deal to discover about our own solar system." Read the original article on Martha Stewart
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Science
- Newsweek
Astronomers Think They've Discovered a New Dwarf Planet in Our Solar System
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A team of astronomers believe they may have discovered a new dwarf planet—just like Pluto—on the edge of our solar system. The object—which orbits out beyond Neptune—has been named "2017 OF201" by the team, which was led by Sihao Cheng of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. Cheng and colleagues estimate that the body has a diameter of more than 430 miles, which means that it may be large enough to qualify as a dwarf planet. While further observations are required to determine its exact size, current estimates suggest that 2017 OF201 is the second-largest known object in such a wide orbit. So-called "trans-Neptunian objects" (TNOs) like 2017 OF201 can vary dramatically in size—from as large as 1,477 miles in diameter (i.e. Pluto) down to just 22 miles like the peanut-shaped Arrokoth. A stock image showing the view of Pluto from space. A stock image showing the view of Pluto from space. buradaki/Getty Images The region of space that TNOs occupy is commonly known as the Kuiper Belt, named after the Dutch-American astronomer Gerard Kuiper. Indeed, the discovery of 2017 OF201 could suggest that the space beyond Neptune in the Kuiper Belt may not be empty after all. Cheng said: "The object's aphelion—the farthest point on the orbit from the Sun—is more than 1,600 times that of the Earth's orbit. Meanwhile, its perihelion—the closest point on its orbit to the Sun—is 44.5 times that of the Earth's orbit, similar to Pluto's orbit." The extreme orbit of 2017 OF201 suggests that it could take approximately 25,000 years to go once around the sun. This could highlight a complex history of gravitational interactions, the researchers suggest. Cheng and his colleagues used advanced computational methods to identify the TNO's trajectory. "2017 OF201 spends only one percent of its orbital time close enough to us to be detectable. 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 now," Cheng continued. The potential dwarf planet was announced by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center on May 21, 2025. Cheng was able to identify the TNO by pinpointing bright spots in an astronomical image database from the Victor M. Blanco Telescope and Canada France Hawaii Telescope. He was then able to connect possible groups of such spots that appeared to move across the sky in the way a TNO could also do. By using a computationally efficient algorithm, Cheng was able to identity 2017 OF201 across 19 different exposures over seven years. The researchers suggest that the discovery of another dwarf planet like Pluto could have significant implications for our understanding of the outer solar system. Newsweek has contacted Cheng and the Institute for Advanced Study via email for comment. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about space? Let us know via science@ Reference Cheng, S., Li, J., & Yang, E. (2025). Discovery of a dwarf planet candidate in an extremely wide orbit: 2017 OF201 (arXiv:2505.15806v1 [ arXiv.
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Pluto's 'extreme cousin' is a dwarf planet found at the far reaches of our solar system
Pluto's 'extreme cousin' is a dwarf planet found at the far reaches of our solar system Astrophysicists have found a new planet, smaller than Pluto and considered that dwarf planet's 'extreme cousin' in a far-away part of the solar system thought to be empty. Show Caption Hide Caption James Webb captures Jupiter's shimmering aurora NASA'S James Webb Space Telescope captured new details of auroras on Jupiter. Earth has a newly-discovered neighbor in the solar system. But the heavenly body – possibly a dwarf planet à la Pluto – isn't a frequent visitor. Located beyond Neptune, its extreme orbit circumnavigates the sun once every 25,000 years, taking it beyond our solar system. The new object, named 2017 OF201, was discovered by researchers in an astronomical image database while searching for trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and possible new planets in the outer solar system. Sihao Cheng, an astrophysicist at the Institute for Advanced Study's School of Natural Sciences, led the team that discovered the object, which he described as an "extreme 'cousin' of Pluto," in a comment on his personal website. 2017 OF201 is about one-third the size of Pluto, which was reclassified as a dwarf planet in August 2006, and "is likely large enough to qualify as a dwarf planet, and its orbit is extremely wide," Cheng said. Jupiter: Our solar system's biggest planet used to be twice as large: Study New tough-to-detect dwarf planet has an extreme orbit 'The object's aphelion – the farthest point on the orbit from the Sun – is more than 1600 times that of the Earth's orbit,' Cheng said in a synopsis of the findings posted May 22 on the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) website. "Meanwhile, its perihelion – the closest point on its orbit to the Sun – is 44.5 times that of the Earth's orbit, similar to Pluto's orbit." The researchers identified 2017 OF201 using 19 different astronomical database exposures, captured over seven years. The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center officially announced the new object's discovery on May 21, the IAS said. 2017 OF201's extreme orbit makes it detectable about 1% of the time, the researchers said. Spotting 2017 OF201 beyond the Kuiper Belt, a donut-shaped section of space past the orbit of Neptune filled with icy debris, suggests the region may not be as empty as previously thought. "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 now,' Cheng said in the synopsis. 'Even though advances in telescopes have enabled us to explore distant parts of the universe, there is still a great deal to discover about our own solar system.' The extreme orbit of 2017 OF201 also suggests the object "must have experienced close encounters with a giant planet, causing it to be ejected to a wide orbit,' said Eritas Yang, a Princeton University graduate student who assisted in the research, in the study synopsis. More than one galactic event could have created 2017 OF201's orbit, Cheng added. "It's possible that this object was first ejected to the Oort cloud, the most distant region in our solar system, which is home to many comets, and then sent back," he said. New dwarf planet could dash Planet X hypothesis The new object could also challenge the hypothesis that there's a "Planet X" or "Planet Nine" beyond Pluto, with gravity affecting dwarf planets and other objects in the Kuiper Belt. That's because 2017 OF201's orbit is "well outside the clustering observed in extreme (TNOs), which has been proposed as dynamical evidence for a distant, undetected planet," the researchers write in a draft version of their submitted research. "The existence of 2017 OF201 might suggest that Planet 9 or X doesn't exist," said Jiaxuan Li, another Princeton University astrophysical sciences grad student who collaborated on the research, on his personal website. But research will continue. "I hope Planet 9 still exists, because that'll be more interesting," Cheng told the New Scientist. Contributing: Doyle Rice and Elizabeth Weise. Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY's Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @ & @mikesnider & msnider@ What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Discover New Dwarf Planet in Solar System, Far Beyond Pluto
In the cold, distant reaches of the Solar System, far beyond Pluto, astronomers have just identified what could be a new dwarf planet. It's called 2017 OF201, a rock that appears to be some 700 kilometers (435 miles) across, large enough to qualify as a dwarf planet. What makes it even more interesting is its orbit, which implies that there is no giant Planet Nine, somewhere out there in the dark outer wilds of the Solar System. "The object's aphelion – the farthest point on the orbit from the Sun – is more than 1,600 times that of the Earth's orbit," says astrophysicist Sihao Cheng of Princeton University. "Meanwhile, its perihelion – the closest point on its orbit to the Sun – is 44.5 times that of the Earth's orbit, similar to Pluto's orbit." Cheng and his colleagues have been undertaking a campaign to find and study trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), chunks of rock and ice that orbit the Sun out beyond the orbit of Neptune at about 30 astronomical units (where one astronomical unit is the distance between Earth and the Sun). Finding these objects is hard – they're very small and, that far from the Sun, very cold, and reflect very little light. In recent years, more powerful instruments have emerged that are better at peering into the Kuiper Belt and beyond to identify individual objects there. The most distant object detected to date is FarFarOut, a rock about 400 kilometers across, found at a distance of 132 astronomical units. Cheng and his colleagues found 2017 OF201 in archival data collected by the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS) and the Canada France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). Between 2011 and 2018, DECaLS and CFHT managed to observe 2017 OF201 a total of 19 times – data that allowed the team to characterize the object and its orbit with a high degree of certainty. 2017 OF201 was initially spotted at a distance of 90.5 astronomical units, more than twice Pluto's orbital distance of about 40 astronomical units. Its orbit is an extreme ellipse, bringing it in as close as 44 astronomical units and carrying it out as far as 1,600 astronomical units – into the inner Oort Cloud, the cloud of rocks and ice that surrounds the Solar System at its very outer limits. We don't know how this orbit, which takes 25,000 years to complete, came into existence. It's possible that 2017 OF201 had a gravitational interaction with something large that knocked it for a literal loop, or that the evolution of its orbit was a multi-step process. What is clear, however, is that it's a very different orbit from the grouped orbits of previously discovered TNOs that some astronomers thought were diagnostic of a large, unseen planet in the outer Solar System. In fact, the team even conducted simulations of 2017 OF201's orbit in the Solar System, both with and without a Planet Nine. They found that, without Planet Nine, 2017 OF201 can have a stable, long-term orbit, as it does today. With Planet Nine, however, gravitational interactions with Neptune boot 2017 OF201 clean out of the Solar System within 100 million years. It's one of the strongest pieces of evidence yet against the existence of Planet Nine; but it also implies that there are a lot more objects like it that we haven't found in the Kuiper Belt, and beyond. "2017 OF201 spends only one percent of its orbital time close enough to us to be detectable. 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 now," Cheng says. "Even though advances in telescopes have enabled us to explore distant parts of the Universe, there is still a great deal to discover about our own Solar System." 2017 OF201 has been officially announced by the International Astronomical Union, and described in a paper available on preprint website arXiv. JWST Detects Most Distant Galaxy Yet, 280 Million Years After Big Bang Galaxy Speared With Black Hole's Radiation in First Ever 'Cosmic Joust' Jupiter Was Twice Its Current Ginormous Size, Scientists Discover
