A large Kuiper Belt object discovered
Astronomers have detected a new but very distant Kuiper Belt object.
For now, his team knows little more about their distant discovery other than its orbit and apparent brightness. Given its distance, however, the object should be sizable — anywhere from 400 km across (if its surface is bright and 50% reflective) to 1,200 km (if very dark and 5% reflective). If its true size edges toward the larger end of this range, then 2014 UZ224 would likely qualify for dwarf-planet status.
Fortunately, we should have a much better estimate of the object’s size very soon. Gerdes has used the ALMA radio-telescope array to measure the heat radiating from 2014 UZ224, which can be combined with the optical measurements to yield its size and albedo.
The object has a very eccentric 1,140 year orbit, coming as close to the sun as Pluto at its closest and almost five times farther away at its furthest.
Note: I have changed the article title because this new object is almost certainly not bigger the Pluto, as one of my readers pointed out.
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Astronomers have detected a new but very distant Kuiper Belt object.
For now, his team knows little more about their distant discovery other than its orbit and apparent brightness. Given its distance, however, the object should be sizable — anywhere from 400 km across (if its surface is bright and 50% reflective) to 1,200 km (if very dark and 5% reflective). If its true size edges toward the larger end of this range, then 2014 UZ224 would likely qualify for dwarf-planet status.
Fortunately, we should have a much better estimate of the object’s size very soon. Gerdes has used the ALMA radio-telescope array to measure the heat radiating from 2014 UZ224, which can be combined with the optical measurements to yield its size and albedo.
The object has a very eccentric 1,140 year orbit, coming as close to the sun as Pluto at its closest and almost five times farther away at its furthest.
Note: I have changed the article title because this new object is almost certainly not bigger the Pluto, as one of my readers pointed out.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
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Cortaro, AZ 85652
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Pluto’s diameter is about 2,374km, so the quoted size range is rather smaller.
Ceres is a bit short of 1,000 km in diameter and classified as dwarf planet.
It feels as if the Kuiper Belt is growing. It used to be said that Pluto’s orbit spans the entire belt between peri- and aphelion (40-50 AU). But this object goes out to 150 AU and several objects even much further out have been found. There are protostellar disks which are even much larger still. Maybe the local interstellar space isn’t as empty as has been believed? This could facilitate future interstellar travel.
Enceladus at 250 km is round, and a distant object should be made out of icy volatilities. Billions of tons of frozen methane ready to be picked up and used as rocket fuel and in fuel cells for heating and electric power, combined with oxygen from frozen water, which has to be heated to be processed, though. If the rocket engine can use methane that’s not pure, raw ice blocks could be used as fuel. Frozen methane is much easier to handle than liquefied dito. And there should be plenty of frozen nitrogen too, an inert gas useful both in rocket engines and a breathable atmosphere. God created the outer Solar System for exploration!
Btw, the pressure in the center of Ceres (500 km deep) is lower than in the deepest Earth mine in operation today.