Australian Sky & Telescope — November-December 2017

2007 TG 422

2010 GB 174

2013 FT 28

2012 VP 113

2014 SR 349

2004 V N 112

2013 RF 98

Sedna

Planet X

Planet X

Sedna 2007 TG 422

2004 V N 112

2013 RF 98

2014 SR 349

2012 VP 113

2013 FT 28

2010 GB 174

SEXTREME ORBITS Several objects in the Solar System’s

far reaches follow orbits whose planes are wildly tilted with

respect to those of the major planets. Two orientations are

shown — as seen looking straight down from above (top) and

along the plane of Neptune’s orbit. Neptune’s orbit is the tiny

blue one at the centre of each diagram, purple is Pluto’s, and

the cross marks the Sun. Both orientations have the March

equinox pointing straight up and/or behind the Sun from our

perspective. Orbits are to scale. These extreme orbits should

not be clustered unless they’re being shepherded into place

by the gravity of something very massive.

WHIGH-POWERED CAMERA The Dark Energy Camera,

installed on the 4-metre Blanco telescope in Chile, includes

everything from the big black box at far left down to the red

ring. This gigantic camera, more than 2 metres long, contains

a shutter, filter changer and several large lenses. ORBITS SOURCE: WORLDWIDE TELESCOPE; TELESCOPE: FERMILAB

PLANET QUEST

20 AUSTRALIAN SKY & TELESCOPE November | December 2017