Sedna of the Outer Solar System
Explanation:
What is the most distant known object in our
Solar System?
A new answer to this centuries-old question was
announced yesterday by
NASA with the
discovery of a dark red object dubbed
Sedna.
Although over twice the distance to Pluto,
Sedna is near its
closest approach to the Sun.
Sedna's highly
elliptical orbit will further displace it by 10 times,
making it a candidate for the long-hypothesized
Oort cloud of icy objects thought to extend to the
Solar System's edge.
Sedna is estimated to be about three-quarters the
size of
Pluto
and therefore the largest Solar System
object found since Pluto in 1930.
Whether Sedna is ever designated a planet is at the discretion of the
International Astronomical Union.
The
above drawing depicts how Sedna might look facing the distant Sun.
The unexpectedly red color, the unusual orbit, and the origin of
Sedna will surely be topic of much future research.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
