Scientists in the US have announced on Wednesday the discovery of the smallest moon yet around the icy orb if Pluto, bringing the count of its known moons to five. “We’re not finished searching yet,” said Hal Weaver of Johns Hopkins University, who thinks there may be more. The discovery was made by a team of scientists who used the Hubble Space Telescope to scout out Pluto’s neighborhood ahead of a NASA spacecraft that’s scheduled to arrive in 2015. The newfound moon, known as P5 until it gets a proper name, appeared as a faint fleck in the Hubble images. Scientists estimated the mini-moon to be 9km to 24km across, smaller than the still nameless one that they spotted last year, which is 12km to 33km wide.
24 Responses
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
The reason Pluto isn’t a planet any more is because there are other bodies in the solar system of a similar size (xena is larger) which are not classified as planets. They made a mistake before. Not everything we learn is childhood is true. Sometimes we have to just get? over it.
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
In other news: WHO CARES ABOUT PLUTO’S MOON.?
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
I’m going to have to retract this complaint about the use of the word “Planet” to describe Pluto. Pluto is apparently classified as a “Dwarf Planet”, which might be shortened in name to Planet, so maybe guy wasn’t misreporting so much as he was abbreviating his report. I guess it’s not some big deal, Pluto is a type of planet, so I guess that’s good? enough, calling it a planet.
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
Is this guy a journalist? He seems to want to be chief scientist and god. Officially Pluto isn’t a planet. Which personally I understand as shit science. But if that’s what world science claims without open scientific dispute, then JOURNALISTS should respect the SCIENTISTS and report the TRUTH, rather than just call stuff whatever they decide on whim, from a position unskilled to make such claim and? without even raising any question to the scientific consensus. Piss poor reporting AJ.
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
its a news network, its their job to be accurate and correct. Way? to go straight for the ad hominem buddy.
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
thats fine, but it wasn’t Astrologers that made this discovery, it was? Astronomers.
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
its a news network….its their job? to not make such a big mistake. Astrologers and Astronomers are two completely different things. It’s an important distinction.
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
ALJAZEERA GO BACK TO THE SAND WHERE? YOU BELONG YOU DUMB CUNTS!
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
They should just look? the word up and it will stop the madness
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
I thought it was more or less common knowledge that Pluto is part of an asteroid belt, where has? this “astrologer” been, getting his horoscope done?
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
1:43 “astrologers” in print?
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
if u think about it, its? common human error not even worth mentioning
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
look? like satellites to me than moon just saying on 2.30sec.
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
Lol @ 2:30..?
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
I never understood? how any of the artificial satellites we have sent could pass through Asteroid Belt Region with ease..
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
so called P5 look like? junk toxic satellite disguise as alien/ufo and going to crash on planet earth. or depopulate the human race. so called will smith to the rescue or so called american heroes will save the earth.
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
Disliked because of the astrology insult at the end, though a good video.?
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
Pluto and his moones are alien space motherships.Thats why they? are all same in size.
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
look at the bottom of the screen and read at? 2:30.
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
Pluto is? no longer a PLANET
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
He said? astronomers
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
Pluto IS a PLANET!?
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
Hahaha @? payola
July 12th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
I just discovered a new genital wart shaped like Newt Gingrinch’s head on my outer labia!
This is just as ‘impotent’ of a scientific? discovery as a this new moon of Pluto.