Hubble Finds That 2003 UB313 is Slightly Larger Than Pluto

FOR RELEASE: 1:00 pm (EDT) April 11, 2006

Erica Hupp/Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1237/1726)

Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.
(Phone: 410/338-4514; E-mail: )

PRESS RELEASE NO.: STScI-PR06-16

HUBBLE FINDS THAT THE 'TENTH PLANET' IS SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN PLUTO

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has resolved the "tenth planet,"
nicknamed
"Xena," for the first time and has found that it is only just a little
larger than Pluto. Though previous ground-based observations suggested
that Xena was about 30 percent greater in diameter than Pluto, Hubble
observations taken on Dec. 9 and 10, 2005, yield a diameter of 1,490
miles (with an uncertainty of 60 miles) for Xena. Pluto's diameter, as
measured by Hubble, is 1,422 miles.

Xena is officially catalogued as 2003 UB313. It is the large object at
the bottom of this artist's concept. A portion of its surface is lit by
the Sun, located in the upper left corner of the image. Xena's
companion, Gabrielle, is located just above and to the left of Xena.

For electronic images and additional information about the research on
the Web, visit:
http://hubblesite.org/news/2006/16
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

For more information, contact Robert Tindol, California Institute of
Technology, Pasadena, CA, (phone) 626-395-3631, (e-mail)
, or Mike Brown, California Institute of Technology,
Pasadena, CA, (phone) 626-395-8423, (e-mail) .

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation
between NASA and the European Space Agency. The Space Telescope Science
Institute in Baltimore conducts Hubble science operations. The
Institute
is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in
Astronomy, Inc., Washington.

wrote:
FOR RELEASE: 1:00 pm (EDT) April 11, 2006

Erica Hupp/Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1237/1726)

Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.
(Phone: 410/338-4514; E-mail: )

PRESS RELEASE NO.: STScI-PR06-16

HUBBLE FINDS THAT THE 'TENTH PLANET' IS SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN PLUTO

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has resolved the "tenth planet,"
nicknamed
"Xena," for the first time and has found that it is only just a little
larger than Pluto. Though previous ground-based observations suggested
that Xena was about 30 percent greater in diameter than Pluto, Hubble
observations taken on Dec. 9 and 10, 2005, yield a diameter of 1,490
miles (with an uncertainty of 60 miles) for Xena. Pluto's diameter, as
measured by Hubble, is 1,422 miles.

Xena is officially catalogued as 2003 UB313. It is the large object at
the bottom of this artist's concept. A portion of its surface is lit by
the Sun, located in the upper left corner of the image. Xena's
companion, Gabrielle, is located just above and to the left of Xena.

For electronic images and additional information about the research on
the Web, visit:
http://hubblesite.org/news/2006/16
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

For more information, contact Robert Tindol, California Institute of
Technology, Pasadena, CA, (phone) 626-395-3631, (e-mail)
, or Mike Brown, California Institute of Technology,
Pasadena, CA, (phone) 626-395-8423, (e-mail) .

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation
between NASA and the European Space Agency. The Space Telescope Science
Institute in Baltimore conducts Hubble science operations. The
Institute
is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in
Astronomy, Inc., Washington.


For the pictures and stuff, and also info on Kuiper belt objects 2003
EL61 and 2005 FY9:

http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/planetlila/#size

Looks like 2003 UB313 is at times the Ninth planet, just as Pluto is at
times the eighth planet.

Double-A

"The orbit of the new planet is even more eccentric than that of Pluto.
Pluto moves from 30 to 50 times the sun-earth distance over its 250
year orbit, while the new planet moves from 38 to 97 times the
sun-earth distance over its 560 year orbit."

http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/planetlila/#size

nightbat wrote

wrote:

FOR RELEASE: 1:00 pm (EDT) April 11, 2006

Erica Hupp/Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1237/1726)

Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.
(Phone: 410/338-4514; E-mail: )

PRESS RELEASE NO.: STScI-PR06-16

HUBBLE FINDS THAT THE 'TENTH PLANET' IS SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN PLUTO

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has resolved the "tenth planet,"
nicknamed
"Xena," for the first time and has found that it is only just a little
larger than Pluto. Though previous ground-based observations suggested
that Xena was about 30 percent greater in diameter than Pluto, Hubble
observations taken on Dec. 9 and 10, 2005, yield a diameter of 1,490
miles (with an uncertainty of 60 miles) for Xena. Pluto's diameter, as
measured by Hubble, is 1,422 miles.

Xena is officially catalogued as 2003 UB313. It is the large object at
the bottom of this artist's concept. A portion of its surface is lit by
the Sun, located in the upper left corner of the image. Xena's
companion, Gabrielle, is located just above and to the left of Xena.

For electronic images and additional information about the research on
the Web, visit:
http://hubblesite.org/news/2006/16
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

For more information, contact Robert Tindol, California Institute of
Technology, Pasadena, CA, (phone) 626-395-3631, (e-mail)
, or Mike Brown, California Institute of Technology,
Pasadena, CA, (phone) 626-395-8423, (e-mail) .

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation
between NASA and the European Space Agency. The Space Telescope Science
Institute in Baltimore conducts Hubble science operations. The
Institute
is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in
Astronomy, Inc., Washington.

nightbat

Something to do with xxx Blue Steel for rumor has it it it does
make a size difference, who knows? Xena was known as a big girl she
would like it bigger theoretically speaking of course. Some say like the
coffee boys it's not the size but the loving tongue twist you put on it
and how you ultimately tool apply and use it. Science Officers
interesting, very interesting, let's wait till more data comes in. I bet
those Seans Maidens know what's what, Darla has informed she has a great
blow hole.

ponder on,
the nightbat