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Size of 2003 UB 313, so called 10th planet

When Michael Brown, the astronomer at the California Institute of Technology, discovered 2003 UB313(so-called 10th planet) and announced it last July, he reported that 2003 UB313 was thought to be larger than Pluto and estimated that it was most likely between 1,398 miles and 2,175 miles in diameter.

But another group of researchers has come up with what is believed to be the first calculation of 2003 UB313’s diameter.

To figure out how large 2003 UB313 is, Dr. Bertoldi and colleagues at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, measured the amount of heat emanating from 2003 UB313 and calculated a surface temperature of about minus-418 degrees Fahrenheit. Combined with the previous optical observations, the astronomers calculated that 2003 UB313 reflects about 60 percent of the light that hits it. That, in turn, gives the size.

Some astronomers have debated over what is a planet and whether Pluto should keep its status. The difficulty is there is no official definition and some argue that setting standards like size limits opens the door too wide.

posted by: kyawoo at 19:35 | link | comments (1) |
astronomy, planets

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