more Nakia Hawaii in 1988 professor David Jewett of the University of
David Jewett of the University of
David Jewett of the University of Hawaii’s Institute for astronomy begins
Hawaii’s Institute for astronomy begins
Hawaii’s Institute for astronomy begins a dedicated hunt for another object
a dedicated hunt for another object
a dedicated hunt for another object beyond Neptune
despite harnessing the latest digital
despite harnessing the latest digital technology the task of looking for a
technology the task of looking for a
technology the task of looking for a tiny asteroid sized object at the far
tiny asteroid sized object at the far
tiny asteroid sized object at the far reaches of the solar system is a
reaches of the solar system is a
reaches of the solar system is a daunting one
a bit like finding a grain of rice on a
a bit like finding a grain of rice on a mountainside as Jewett demonstrates to
mountainside as Jewett demonstrates to
mountainside as Jewett demonstrates to give you an idea for the scale of the
give you an idea for the scale of the
give you an idea for the scale of the copper belt relative to the orbits of
copper belt relative to the orbits of
copper belt relative to the orbits of the planets I’ve laid out the solar
the planets I’ve laid out the solar
the planets I’ve laid out the solar system using various kinds of fruit and
system using various kinds of fruit and
system using various kinds of fruit and vegetables so we have a ball to
vegetables so we have a ball to
vegetables so we have a ball to represent the Sun next to the Sun which
represent the Sun next to the Sun which
represent the Sun next to the Sun which is the center of the solar system we
is the center of the solar system we
is the center of the solar system we have the rocky planets so we have to go
have the rocky planets so we have to go
have the rocky planets so we have to go out to five astronomical units 5a use to
out to five astronomical units 5a use to
out to five astronomical units 5a use to find Jupiter the biggest thing in the
find Jupiter the biggest thing in the
find Jupiter the biggest thing in the solar system except for the Sun then we
solar system except for the Sun then we
solar system except for the Sun then we go out from Jupiter is Saturn located at
go out from Jupiter is Saturn located at
go out from Jupiter is Saturn located at NAU out from Saturn is Uranus at 20 a u
NAU out from Saturn is Uranus at 20 a u
NAU out from Saturn is Uranus at 20 a u Uranus is the first of the ice giant
Uranus is the first of the ice giant
Uranus is the first of the ice giant planets and Uranus has a near twin it’s
planets and Uranus has a near twin it’s
planets and Uranus has a near twin it’s called Neptune Neptune is over here at
called Neptune Neptune is over here at
called Neptune Neptune is over here at 30 au and just beyond Neptune comes the
30 au and just beyond Neptune comes the
30 au and just beyond Neptune comes the famous Pluto represented here by a tasty
famous Pluto represented here by a tasty
famous Pluto represented here by a tasty macadamia nut and Pluto moves in and out
macadamia nut and Pluto moves in and out
macadamia nut and Pluto moves in and out from the Sun but it’s roughly located
from the Sun but it’s roughly located
from the Sun but it’s roughly located the 39a used so we’ll put that back
the 39a used so we’ll put that back
the 39a used so we’ll put that back where we find it Kuiper belt starts
where we find it Kuiper belt starts
where we find it Kuiper belt starts roughly of the orbit of Neptune and goes
roughly of the orbit of Neptune and goes
roughly of the orbit of Neptune and goes out to larger distances so we can
out to larger distances so we can
out to larger distances so we can represent that by grains of rice from
represent that by grains of rice from
represent that by grains of rice from this bag which I’ll drop on the ground
this bag which I’ll drop on the ground
this bag which I’ll drop on the ground these are Kuiper belt objects falling in
these are Kuiper belt objects falling in
these are Kuiper belt objects falling in space and here they go but in fact they
space and here they go but in fact they
space and here they go but in fact they go very far out they go out in this
go very far out they go out in this
go very far out they go out in this direction and in fact it goes out so far
direction and in fact it goes out so far
direction and in fact it goes out so far that I can’t throw it far enough it goes
that I can’t throw it far enough it goes
that I can’t throw it far enough it goes out to the hill in the distance far
out to the hill in the distance far
out to the hill in the distance far beyond me but in 1988 all this is
beyond me but in 1988 all this is
beyond me but in 1988 all this is speculation it’s just a theory there’s
speculation it’s just a theory there’s
speculation it’s just a theory there’s no hard evidence of other objects in the
no hard evidence of other objects in the
no hard evidence of other objects in the Kuiper belt
Kuiper belt
Kuiper belt Dave Jewett continues believing there
Dave Jewett continues believing there
Dave Jewett continues believing there have to be more Kuiper belt objects out
have to be more Kuiper belt objects out
have to be more Kuiper belt objects out there somewhere
there somewhere
there somewhere for four years he toils in the thin air
for four years he toils in the thin air
for four years he toils in the thin air of more nakiya’s high-altitude
of more nakiya’s high-altitude
of more nakiya’s high-altitude observatories he has no idea how big or
observatories he has no idea how big or
observatories he has no idea how big or bright any of the objects might be then
bright any of the objects might be then
bright any of the objects might be then in late November 1992 he and his
in late November 1992 he and his
in late November 1992 he and his colleague Jane Liu spot a faint moving
colleague Jane Liu spot a faint moving
colleague Jane Liu spot a faint moving dot in the sky it was a very very
dot in the sky it was a very very
dot in the sky it was a very very definite object far above the noise far
definite object far above the noise far
definite object far above the noise far above the threshold of uncertainty we’re
above the threshold of uncertainty we’re
above the threshold of uncertainty we’re completely sure that we found the first
completely sure that we found the first
completely sure that we found the first really slow-moving thing in the solar
really slow-moving thing in the solar
really slow-moving thing in the solar system since Pluto and its small just
system since Pluto and its small just
system since Pluto and its small just 140 miles across its diameter is just a
140 miles across its diameter is just a
140 miles across its diameter is just a tenth of Pluto’s if we were able to find
tenth of Pluto’s if we were able to find
tenth of Pluto’s if we were able to find one body in a tenth of a percent of the
one body in a tenth of a percent of the
one body in a tenth of a percent of the sky which was the case then we knew
sky which was the case then we knew
sky which was the case then we knew there must be something like a thousand
there must be something like a thousand
there must be something like a thousand times more objects than we’d found
times more objects than we’d found
times more objects than we’d found Jewett’s discovery has astounding
Jewett’s discovery has astounding
Jewett’s discovery has astounding implications
now astronomers know there are
now astronomers know there are potentially thousands of icy bodies
potentially thousands of icy bodies
potentially thousands of icy bodies escapees from early planetary formation
escapees from early planetary formation
escapees from early planetary formation orbiting out beyond Neptune
and Pluto is just one of many perhaps
and Pluto is just one of many perhaps Pluto is not a planet after all
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