Hawaiian telescopes looking for ninth planet

[Justin]

If only we had a bigger, more powerful telescope, perhaps it would be easier. Maybe one of these days...

https://www.caltech.edu/news/caltech-res...anet-49523

[TomK]

There's also the possibility it might have already been detected but simply not noticed. Both UKIRT and the CFHT on MK have done some large scale surveys of the sky. The object itself, assuming it exists, would be very cold due to its distance from the sun and therefore brighter in the infrared than the optical, so UKIRT may have seen it already.

However, I need to do a little research as I don't know its current predicted position or exactly how bright it would be in the infrared (it would actually be quite faint), but the chance exists that we already have the required data, although admittedly, it could be hard to spot. Given its distance from the sun, it won't appear to move very much which is the usual way of spotting solar system objects. I'll do some checking.

[Lee M-S]

So what will the new planet be called?

Mother Very Thoughtfully Made a Jelly Sandwich Under No...
poor Pluto gets bumped off, could we name the new one something that begins with P so I don't have to learn a new mnemonic?

My candidates:
Pax, goddess of peace.
Poena, goddess of punishment (in case peace doesn't work out)
Porrima, goddess of the future.
Providentia, goddess of forethought.



><(((*< ... ><(("< ... ><('< ... >o>

[TomK]

I was kind of curious about what that planet might be like if it exists, so using the numbers in the article Justin quotes, a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation shows the surface temperature would be about 10 Kelvin (about -263 degrees Celsius or -440 degrees Fahrenheit). If you want to visit, bring warm clothing. At those temperatures, nearly any molecule would have frozen out so it's unlikely to have a significant atmosphere, so bring some O2 as well as a pressure suit. Skis might be an option for those experienced in frozen methane, nitrogen and oxygen runs.

That temperature means the brightest wavelength of light the planet emits is around 250 microns, or well beyond the far infrared and into the submillimeter range. There are telescopes on MK that work at those wavelengths but for other technical reasons wouldn't be the first you'd turn to for a search. In any case, it'll be much brighter in the infrared compared to the optical so assume that's what Subaru is doing.

[TomK]

Lee,

If we have to stick with tradition and the letter P, I would go with "Pales", deity of shepherds, flocks and livestock. After all, if it exists and is discovered, the reason will have been due to its shepherding of other objects in the solar system.

Personally, I'd break with tradition and call it Planet Bowie. I can't think of a more fitting tribute to the man.

https://youtu.be/kszLwBaC4Sw

[dmbwest]

How 'bout >>> P og Please choose yerown meaning.

If gonna charity vote to musicians for planet name then: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT1L5swMMVI Equally as 'important' as that cliché (now) dead guy who entertained all of the limited folks.

[PaulW]

What is this Space Oddity? Nibiru?

This could explain why the Astrology columns have always been a little off.

If one of the Mauna Kea telescopes spot it first (go for it, Tom!) then I hope they give it a Hawaii-related name. Like TMT.

[TomK]

No doubt Nibiru will be mentioned a lot in the next few days after this news. I sincerely hope that isn't the name that's chosen (even if the planet actually exists, we don't know it does yet).

[terracore]

What if it has moons? Could tidal forces generate heat?

[Jeffhale]

OK but if they know there's junk orbiting the invisible planet X,

quote:

---

"Scott Sheppard published a paper noting that 13 of the most distant objects in the Kuiper Belt are similar with respect to an obscure orbital feature"

---

then why is it so hard to find?

"-440 degrees Fahrenheit"
And, it's also possible that the inhabitants have quantum computers that make our new ones look like an abacus. http://www.dwavesys.com/quantum-computing

Alternatively, what a great place to host quantum computers. [grin]