TrappistPlanets
Nov 13 2021, 10:58 PM
there is this recent article about finding a possible
transneptunian planet candidate
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2111.03831.pdfThe candidate discussed here would be likely to have mass 3-5 MEarth if it was in fact a planet and not something else
what interests me is how we didn't find it in later surveys of the night sky...
Phil Stooke
Nov 14 2021, 03:05 AM
Unfortunately, the most likely explanation for not finding it in later surveys is that this object is an artifact of the image, not a real thing. But I'm sure people will be looking now.
Phil
nprev
Nov 14 2021, 08:33 AM
ADMIN NOTE: Topic title changed, first post edited. Please see rule 1.9. The entire subject of "planethood" remains extremely contentious among many in our community, so we ask that everyone refrain from using incendiary terminology which may aggravate or alienate some members & start useless, acrimonious, and utterly non-productive arguments.
TrappistPlanets
Nov 14 2021, 04:03 PM
its possible it would just be an artifact in the data or a distant IR object
we need to see if the object moves in multiple images (like how we detect new dwarf planets or comets), if it moves, than we are onto something, if it does not, its a distant IR object or something else, and if its nowhere to be found, than its just a hiccup (artifact) in the data
stevesliva
Nov 15 2021, 03:22 AM
There is an afterword in that paper that had me checking the
Brown & Batygin blog here. There are a few 2021 updates that I hadn't seen.
TrappistPlanets
Nov 15 2021, 12:14 PM
QUOTE (stevesliva @ Nov 15 2021, 03:22 AM)
There is an afterword in that paper that had me checking the
Brown & Batygin blog here. There are a few 2021 updates that I hadn't seen.
interesting, scale diagram is nice, that size is a bit more realistic for a planet that may have been thrown out way far by jupiter (this is one of the formation theories), and couldn't grab any more material to grow to the size of the 2 known ice giants
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please
click here.