10th Planet

The Tenth Planet

August 2005

Discovery Image
Motion through the Stars
Size
The Kuiper Belt

Sources:

Image above: These images, taken at about 90 minute intervals, show the newly detected Solar System planet, 2003UB313. They were taken on 21st October 2003, using the Samuel Oschin Telescope at the Palomar Observatory near San Diego, California.

The planet, circled in white, was detected from its movement across a field of stars.

Although the discoverers Michael E. Brown (Caltech), Chad Trujillo (Gemini Observatory), and David Rabinowitz (Yale University) first imaged the object on 21st October 2003, they didn't notice its movement in relation to the stars until they reimaged the same area 15 months later on 8th January 2005.

Image credit: Samuel Oschin Telescope, Palomar Observatory