Post #2003874
2026-05-05 07:00 UTC
These are the things I love in #astronomy: you look at a dwarf planet in our solar system that’s smaller than Pluto and it passes right in front of a star, so you can see how the starlight is blocked as it moves across the star. And the unexpected happens: the light disappears more slowly than you would’ve thought, which could indicate that this little rock has some form of an atmosphere.
„A tiny world beyond Neptune has an atmosphere that shouldn't exist“: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-tiny-world-neptune-atmosphere-shouldnt.html#google_vignette
#Astrodon
Replies (5)
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@kevinrns@mstdn.social 2026-05-05 07:21
@hfalcke Artists conception.
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@CausticHarmony@mastodon.social 2026-05-05 08:58
@hfalcke Waiting for Space- reptile overlords / Nazis / Stargate claims...
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@clonedhuman@mastodon.social 2026-05-05 10:06
@hfalcke How long until I can move to 2002 XV93?
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@dckim@mastodon.social 2026-05-05 10:37
@hfalcke is it properly classed and defined as a planet?
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@stepheneb@ruby.social 2026-05-05 14:15
@hfalcke “Calculations show that the atmosphere found around 2002 XV93 is expected to last less than 1,000 years unless it is replenished. So it must have been created or replenished recently. Observations by the James Webb Space Telescope show no signs of frozen gases on the surface of 2002 XV93 that might sublimate to form an atmosphere.” 1/2