Posted on 04/16/2014 1:38:33 PM PDT by BenLurkin
The moons that orbit Saturn may be increasing by one -- an icy, pint-sized object that astronomers have named “Peggy.”
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has spotted evidence that a mysterious object measuring perhaps half a mile across is disturbing the outer edge of Saturn’s large, bright A ring. The object’s gravity seems to have roughed up the ring’s usually smooth profile.
As a result, a stretch of the A ring that measures 750 miles long and 6 miles wide is now about 20% brighter than it would typically appear. The fuzzy blob on the A ring’s edge was imaged by Cassini’s narrow-angle camera exactly one year ago, on April 15, 2013.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
No way!
But then, even if it is a dwarf it is still a planet?
That is the alien spaceship that has been weaving the rings for millions of years now. When it is finished Saturn will be transported (stolen) to another solar system.
Not a planet, a dwarf planet. There are actually two asteroids, Ceres and Vesta, that are also recognized as dwarf planets. The classification of “dwarf planet” puts Pluto above common debris-like objects in only one respect: it’s large enough to assume a round shape. This might also make it a full-fledged planet except for one thing it shares with both Ceres and Vesta: it’s part of a larger group of objects, none of which has enough gravitational gusto to clear the others out of its path and be king of the hill.
From memory I’ll cite the 3 rules for planet status:
1. It must orbit the sun.
2. It must be large enough to assume a hydrostatic round shape.
3. It must have cleared its orbit.
Since Pluto falls short of #3, as does Ceres and Vesta, it’s called a dwarf planet. Anything failing condition #2 is “everything else”. Pluto is part of the Kuiper belt similar to how Ceres and Vesta are part of the asteroid belt.
Way ahead of me on the youtube link, Jane Long (my thoughts exactly). Thanks for the post, Ben Lurkin. Interesting. Post/thread BUMP!
Well, that sure is going to mess up how kids memorize the planets, ain’t it?
I doubt it will stunt their growth. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. I would think with only 8 now it would be even simpler. I am quite confident that Pluto has no hurt feelings, or it would have left the solar system as a disgruntled rogue planet.
Then I guess it becomes an asteroid. Cool.
Neat! I haven’t seen baby moons since I sold my Chevelle...
Titebond II is my choice. Go to youtube and check it out. The glue will not stick to vinyl. You squirt it on fairly liberally, spread it with a credit card to create an even coating and let it dry. You then peal it off as a single reverse image “skin” of the record and it takes with it every scrap of junk that is not actually embedded in the vinyl.
For “special” records it is very much worth it.
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