Scientists Discover 10th Planet's Moon

[drwayne]

LOS ANGELES - The astronomers who claim to have discovered the 10th planet in the solar system have another intriguing announcement: It has a moon. <br /> <br />While observing the new, so-called planet from Hawaii last month, a team of astronomers led by Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology spotted a faint object trailing next to it. Because it was moving, astronomers ruled it was a moon and not a background star, which is stationary.<br /><br />The moon discovery is important because it can help scientists determine the new planet's mass. In July, Brown announced the discovery of an icy, rocky object larger than Pluto in the Kuiper Belt, a disc of icy bodies beyond Neptune. Brown labeled the object a planet and nicknamed it Xena after the lead character in the former TV series "Xena: Warrior Princess." The moon was nicknamed Gabrielle, after Xena's faithful traveling sidekick.<br /><br />Rest of the story:<br /><br />http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051002/ap_on_sc/new_planet_moon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[ihwip]

so what are the chances of this planet and moon keeping these names? They are quasi-Roman names so they fit the schematic.

 

[vogon13]

If Xena and Gabrielle don't make the grade (they should though), may I suggest Launcelot and Elaine?<br /><br /><br />{I'm getting more romantic as the tardive dyskenisia and myasthenia gravis ravage my brain.}<br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[alokmohan]

Names are tentative.Final naming is done by international astronomical union.But how nice to get a series of discoveries within I think one month.

 

[mariecurie]

<img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" />On the North Pole of Gabrielle is a Perfect Monolith with coded inscriptions on it depicting a method for crossing inter-stellar space. All we have to do is go read it and the galaxy is ours. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />

 

[mariecurie]

Sorry. You have to get that far on your own.

 

[CalliArcale]

Awesome news. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> I just read about this, but you beat me to posting it, drwayne!<br /><br />The best thing about this is that it'll give astronomers a direct measurement of "Xena's" mass, using Newtonian physics. I'm also anxious for the Spitzer measurements, which will refine the diameter estimates. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[telfrow]

<i>When they start naming planets and moons after TV shows, then they've run out of names.</i><br /><br />Luci and Desi? Rowan and Martin? Tom and Jerry? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <strong><font color="#3366ff">Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yeild.</font> - <font color="#3366ff"><em>Tennyson</em></font></strong> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Another KBO with another moon. XEna and Gabrielle. When they start naming planets and moons after TV shows, then they've run out of names. What's next, Spock and McCoy?<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />The name is just a convenience; the team is using it simply because it's easier than "2003 UB313". They've indicated that it will definitely not be the official name.<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>The fact they have not been able to decide this issue indicates a rather peculiar inability to escape from their committee mentality.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Well, to be fair, they *are* a committee. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>