Other pluto

[alokmohan]

Shaped like a squashed football, the ice-covered body 2003 EL61 rotates faster and reflects more sunlight than any other object in the outer solar system, is about as big as Pluto, and even has two moons. Now, astronomers have discovered that this fringe object, located beyond Neptune in a region called the Kuiper belt, has another distinction. It's the first Kuiper belt denizen known to have an extended family. <br /><br />Five smaller members of the belt, although not close to 2003 EL61, have nearly identical surface properties and orbits, Mike Brown of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena and his colleagues report in the March 15 Nature. The researchers suggest that the family arose soon after the birth of the solar system, when a Pluto-size body smashed into 2003 EL61, creating the fragments that Brown's team has found. <br /><br />The researchers, who discovered 2003 EL61, had already proposed that a giant impactor had pummeled the body. Such a collision could account for the 4-hour rotation of 2003 EL61, as well as its two moons and high density. The density indicates that the object was stripped of most of its ice, leaving just an icy glaze over a rocky core (SN: 1/14/06, p. 26: http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060114/bob10.asp). <br /><br />The familial finding firms up the collision hypothesis and is "a milestone in Kuiper belt science—and by extension, in our understanding of the outer solar system's development," says Alessandro Morbidelli of the Observatory of the Côte d'Azur in Nice, France, in a commentary accompanying the Nature report. <br /><br />Brown and his coworkers surveyed 50 Kuiper belt objects using the Keck 1 telescope atop Hawaii's Mauna Kea. Their results make a convincing case that five objects are chips off 2003 EL61, says theorist Hal Levison of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo. The finding, he adds, "is also pretty shocking

 

[rhm3]

Very interesting object indeed. (I wish it'd get a name already!)<br /><br />As you posted, it seems the consensus is the impact took place shortly around 4.5 billion years ago...probably due to the sheer severity of the collision which is more fathomable in the early, chaotic era of the solar system's lifespan. <br /><br />I'm assuming it's ruled out that the impact happened within the past 10 million years?<br /><br />If that's the case then that leaves us with the question of why its surface is covered in fresh crystalline ice...I think it's due to very recent cryovolcanism. I elaborate more in the 5th reply of this thread:<br /><br />http://uplink.space.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=sciastro&Number=681530 <br /><br />Regardless, this is looking like a great target for the next KBO mission. (if such could get proper funding)

 

[silylene old]

<font color="yellow">Very interesting object indeed. (I wish it'd get a name already!) </font><br /><br />When the object was first discovered, I suggested it in these forums that should be named "Rama", based on its orbit, and one of my favorite AC Clarke novels. Its football shape further convinces me "Rama" is an appropriate name.<br /><br />To my knowledge, none of the asteroids are named "Rama" yet. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</font></em> </div><div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><font color="#0000ff"><em>I really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function.</em></font> </div> </div>

 

[alokmohan]

Rama is hero of Indian epic Ramayana.So I second your proposal.The is one Ramayana in SDC.He might be elated.Hello Ramayana where are you?

 

[MeteorWayne]

It seems to be more like a rugby ball than an american football <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[doubletruncation]

<font color="yellow">I suggested it in these forums that should be named "Rama", based on its orbit, and one of my favorite AC Clarke novels. Its football shape further convinces me "Rama" is an appropriate name. </font><br /><br />I like the name - but think they should reserve it for the first alien spacecraft to enter our solar system <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[3488]

The crystalline ice surface is a mystery. How coulkd it have survived for 4 billion years, unless 2003 EL61 does have active cryovolcanism now. <br /><br />Although a large object, where is the heat energy coming from? Tidal stresses with its two large moons?? Radioactivity in its rocky core???<br /><br />I too wish that it would be given a proper name!!<br /><br />Thank you alokmohan for starting this thread.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hi alokmohan.<br /><br />You might be interested in this from Spaceflightnow.com.<br /><br />Interesting article.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[alokmohan]

Instructive.

 

[MeteorWayne]

You should have at least included the title, Andrew.<br /><br />I can't wait till my Nature comes!!!<br /><br />"KBO broken up by massive impact 4.5 billion years ago"<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>