[X] My Assistant

[Mongo]

http://www.universetoday.com/2008/08/18/as...t-near-neptune/

Press Release Images: http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~dhw/SDSS08/ssfigs.html

http://sphinx.planetwaves.net/2006sq372.htm

Astronomers announced today that a new "minor planet" with an unusual orbit has been found just two billion miles from Earth, closer than Neptune. Using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, astronomers detected a small, comet-like object called 2006 SQ372, which is likely made of rock and ice. However, its orbit never brings it close enough to the sun for it to develop a tail. Its unusual orbit is an ellipse that is four times longer than it is wide, said University of Washington astronomer Andrew Becker, who led the discovery team. The only known object with a comparable orbit is Sedna — the distant, Pluto-like dwarf planet discovered in 2003. But 2006 SQ372's orbit takes it more than one-and-a-half times further from the Sun, and its orbital period is nearly twice as long.

2006 SQ372 is beginning the return leg of a 22,500-year journey that will take it to a distance of 150 billion miles, nearly 1,600 times the distance from the Earth to the Sun. Scientists believe the object is only 50-100 kilometers (30-60 miles) across.

Even at its most distant turning point, 2006 SQ372 will be ten times closer to the Sun than the supposed main body of the Oort Cloud, said Kaib. "The existence of an 'inner' Oort cloud has been theoretically predicted for many years, but SQ372 and perhaps Sedna are the first objects we have found that seem to originate there. It's exciting that we are beginning to verify these predictions."

Bill

[Ron Hobbs]

I have lurking about this forum for a while now; this topic really picqued my interest. I am very intrigued by the exploration of the trans-Neptunian region. I am bemused by the big news of a second "inner Oort cloud" object being found

Attached is a list of the objects have the largest semi-major axes That I have been able to find. I identified the objects from the MPC list of Centaurs and Scattered-Disk Objects and David Jewitt's list of damocloids. All orbital and physical data ( and classification, if available) is from neo.jpl.nasa.gov/orbits. I have included data on a couple of comets for comparison.

For my money, I think 2007 TG422 is a closer twin to Sedna that 2006 SQ372. At least its perihelion is far enough beyond Neptune that it wasn't scattered by it.

Attached File(s)

 Extended_Objects.xls ( 16.5K ) Number of downloads: 373