Astronomers have discovered a distant body that’s more than 100 times farther from the Sun than Earth is. Its provisional designation is 2018 VG18, but they’ve nicknamed the planet “Farout.” Farout is the most distant body ever observed in our Solar System, at 120 astronomical units (AU) away.
The International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center announced Farout’s discovery on Monday, December 17th, 2018. This newly-discovered object is the result of a team of astronomers’ search for the elusive “Planet X” or “Planet 9,” a ninth major planet thought to exist at the furthest reaches of our Solar System, where its mass would shape the orbit of distant planets like Farout. The team hasn’t determined 2018 VG18’s orbit, so they don’t know if its orbit shows signs of influence from Planet X.
Read more: https://www.universetoday.com/140901/ju ... ar-system/
Just discovered! “Farout”, the Farthest Object Ever Seen in the Solar System
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fred8615
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Just discovered! “Farout”, the Farthest Object Ever Seen in the Solar System
Frederick J. Barnett
"Someone's got to take the responsibility if the job's going to get done!! Do you think that's easy?!" Gregory Peck - The Guns Of Navarone
"Someone's got to take the responsibility if the job's going to get done!! Do you think that's easy?!" Gregory Peck - The Guns Of Navarone
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Christopher K.
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Re: Just discovered! “Farout”, the Farthest Object Ever Seen in the Solar System
VG18 may be considered to mark the far edge of the Solar System as 120AU is roughly the distance that Voyager 2 is experiencing the heliopause.
Here's a Sarah Lewin article:
https://www.space.com/42755-farout-fart ... overy.html
Here's a Sarah Lewin article:
https://www.space.com/42755-farout-fart ... overy.html