Possible new planet discovered in our Solar System!

[higginsdj]

That same thread clearly outlined some bigger issues for this hypothesis - Orbital instability and the fact that IR surveys (IRAS, MSX, AKARI) have been sufficient to cover anything dark and cold between us and the Alpha Centauri system...

Cheers

[Rob_K]

Originally Posted by higginsdj

That same thread clearly outlined some bigger issues for this hypothesis - Orbital instability and the fact that IR surveys (IRAS, MSX, AKARI) have been sufficient to cover anything dark and cold between us and the Alpha Centauri system...

Cheers

Yeah David, those new posts are very interesting, particularly the orbit stability questions. WISE had forerunners which can't be ignored, and WISE will only raise the upper limits of detection.

The mpml list is worth following for anyone interested in asteroid or comet research, or breaking news relating to solar system objects - an eclectic mix of professional & amateur observers (who don't mind a bit of argy-bargy at times!). Membership is required:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/

Cheers -

[higginsdj]

The MPML membership includes all of the worlds leading professionals in this field (minor planets et al) - they don't post all the time but they do post from time to time (and they certainly don't 'suffer fools')

Cheers

[dpastern (Dave Pastern)]

I'll say my 2.2c worth - let's consider Fomalhault which ha a nice outer cloud of debris a la Oort cloud. Fomalhault B is right near that. I'd like scientists to spot enough extra solar planets around stars with dust clouds and compare what they find. If there's a bunch of big super giant planets always found near the outer ring of debris, then I'd say it's a typical formation pattern.

Dave

[Rob_K]

The inner edge of the Fomalhaut debris disk is at a radial distance of only 133AU, while the Oort Cloud is hypothesized to be at 50,000AU from the Sun (almost a light-year). I gather there are real orbital stability problems at such vast distances. The Fomalhaut disk is a 'rough' equivalent of the Kuiper Belt in the Solar System, although it's a fair bit further out.

The Australian newspaper's weekend supplement carried the story today, and it was written more in the 'advance of science' style rather than pretty much just the controversial research of two scientists. Anyway, all will be revealed soon!

Cheers -