Latest discoveries in our Solar System

[MalfunctionM1Ke]

Turns out we have something Special in the NEWS today.

New Kuiper Belt object discovered:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_VP113

This object is considered a new dwarf planet.

Chariklo has rings:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10199_Chariklo

Makes this Asteroid the smallest object with rings.

Chariklo has almost the dimensions of Moho but 2012-VP113 is something between Duna & Kerbin .

http://i.imgur.com/nJ2ku52.jpg

Feel free to discuss

Edited March 27, 2014 by MalfunctionM1Ke

[Blue]

More than a hundred years of astronomy and we still don't know all the bodies hovering around in our own back yard. Crazy thing is, that Sedna and that new dwarf planet (who's currently nicknamed "Biden") have barely even moved because their orbit is so ginormous. I bet there's actually a whole host of these hyper-plutoid dwarfs with highly eccentric orbits.

And the fact that Chariklo has rings gives me hope for absurd levels of whimsy in potential future planet designs in KSP ^-^

[Woopert]

Heard about the new Kuiper Belt object yesterday, as well as the ringed asteroid(s).

In fact, I tweeted to Mike Brown (he put a tweet to announce the discovery) congratulating him, and he said "wasn't me this time!" obviously because he wasn't the discover-er. That made me feel special, being responded to by such a great scientist!

Edited March 27, 2014 by Woopert