Evidence mounts for sun's companion star

[GrnMarvl14]

Original article.

The Binary Research Institute (BRI) has found that orbital characteristics of the recently discovered planetoid, "Sedna", demonstrate the possibility that our sun might be part of a binary star system. A binary star system consists of two stars gravitationally bound orbiting a common center of mass. Once thought to be highly unusual, such systems are now considered to be common in the Milky Way galaxy.

Walter Cruttenden at BRI, Professor Richard Muller at UC Berkeley, Dr. Daniel Whitmire of the University of Louisiana, amongst several others, have long speculated on the possibility that our sun might have an as yet undiscovered companion. Most of the evidence has been statistical rather than physical. The recent discovery of Sedna, a small planet like object first detected by Cal Tech astronomer Dr. Michael Brown, provides what could be indirect physical evidence of a solar companion. Matching the recent findings by Dr. Brown, showing that Sedna moves in a highly unusual elliptical orbit, Cruttenden has determined that Sedna moves in resonance with previously published orbital data for a hypothetical companion star.

In the May 2006 issue of Discover, Dr. Brown stated: "Sedna shouldn't be there. There's no way to put Sedna where it is. It never comes close enough to be affected by the sun, but it never goes far enough away from the sun to be affected by other stars... Sedna is stuck, frozen in place; there's no way to move it, basically there's no way to put it there – unless it formed there. But it's in a very elliptical orbit like that. It simply can't be there. There's no possible way - except it is. So how, then?"

"I'm thinking it was placed there in the earliest history of the solar system. I'm thinking it could have gotten there if there used to be stars a lot closer than they are now and those stars affected Sedna on the outer part of its orbit and then later on moved away. So I call Sedna a fossil record of the earliest solar system. Eventually, when other fossil records are found, Sedna will help tell us how the sun formed and the number of stars that were close to the sun when it formed."

Walter Cruttenden agrees that Sedna's highly elliptical orbit is very unusual, but noted that the orbit period of 12,000 years is in neat resonance with the expected orbit periodicity of a companion star as outlined in several prior papers. Consequently, Cruttenden believes that Sedna's unusual orbit is something indicative of the current solar system configuration, not merely a historical record. "It is hard to imagine that Sedna would retain its highly elliptical orbit pattern since the beginning of the solar system billions of years ago. Because eccentricity would likely fade with time, it is logical to assume Sedna is telling us something about current, albeit unexpected solar system forces, most probably a companion star".

Outside of a few popular articles, and Cruttenden's book "Lost Star of Myth and Time", which outlines historical references and the modern search for the elusive companion, the possibility of a binary partner star to our sun has been left to the halls of academia. But with Dr. Brown's recent discoveries of Sedna and Xena, (now confirmed to be larger than Pluto), and timing observations like Cruttenden's, the search for a companion star may be gaining momentum.

Source: Binary Research Institute

We named the tenth planet Xena? When the hell did that happen? But...we're in a BINARY star system? The geek in me is happy beyond belief.

 

[Jukain]

Tenth planet-that is sad beyond belief, naming it Xena. Anyway, there could be another star connected to our own? If it was that close, we should've seen it unless the Oort cloud obscures it.

EDIT: Xena is it's name, but it's status as a planet, as well as Pluto's is still in debate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_UB313 It will be decided late this year.

 

[GrnMarvl14]

We've known of Sedna's existence for years and years, we're just now figuring out that it might be connected to our sun.

As for Xena's place as a planet...it WILL be. NO ONE is going to remove Pluto at this point, and not adding Xena makes them look like idiots.

 

[Barb]

Xena also has an orbiting satellite named Gabrielle, I believe.

 

[GrnMarvl14]

Xena also has an orbiting satellite named Gabrielle, I believe.

...PLEASE tell me you're kidding. I mean, I know it has a moon, but...seriously...Gabrielle? I liked the series for a while, but...that's just wrong.

 

[Murgatroyd]

Those names are not official; they're just temporary ones used by the discoverers (and picked up by the media) pending the assignment of an official name (which in theory must have a mythological origin).

 

[Barb]

A few notes on the official naming of planets....

From the International Astronomical Union's website, a few notes on how planets are named.

The discoverer of a particular object has the privilege of suggesting a name to a special Committee of the IAU that judges its suitability. Contrary to some recent media reports it is not possible to buy a minor planet. If you have a name you would like to apply to a minor planet, the best advice is "Go out and discover one!".

A more detailed description of how Minor Planets are named:

The assignment of a particular name to a particular minor planet is the end of a long process that can take many decades. It begins with the discovery of a Minor Planet that cannot be identified with any already-known object. Such Minor Planets are given a provisional designation. More detailed info about the whole process from discovery to numbering of newly discovered Minor Planets can be found here or here. The provisional designations are based on the date of discovery and are assigned by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) according to a well defined formula that involves the year of discovery, two letters and, if need be, further digits (for example 1989 AC or 2002 LM60).

When the orbit of a Minor Planet becomes well enough determined that the position can be reliably predicted far into the future (typically this means after the Minor Planet has been observed at four or more oppositions), the Minor Planet receives a permanent designation - number issued sequentially by the Minor Planet Center, for example (433), (4179) or (50000).

When a Minor Planet receives a permanent number, the discoverer of the Minor Planet is invited to suggest a name for it. The discoverer has this privilege for a period of ten years following the numbering of the object.

The discoverer writes a short citation explaining the reasons for assigning the name according to the guidelines of the IAU.

All proposed names are judged by the fifteen-person Committee for Small Body Nomenclature (CSBN) of the IAU, comprised of professional astronomers with research interests connected with Minor Planets and/or comets from around the world.

Proposed names should be:

* 16 characters or less in length
* preferably one word
* pronounceable (in some language)
* non-offensive
* not too similar to an existing name of a Minor Planet or natural Planetary satellite.

The names of individuals or events principally known for political or military activities are unsuitable until 100 years after the death of the individual or the occurrence of the event.

In addition,

* names of pet animals are discouraged
* names of a purely or principally commercial nature are not allowed.

There are more detailed guidelines for unusual Minor Planets in certain dynamical groups, for example:

* Trojan asteroids (those that librate in 1:1 resonance with Jupiter) are named for heroes of the Trojan War (Greeks at L4 and Trojans at L5).
* Trans-Jovian Planets crossing or approaching the orbit of a giant Planet but not in a stabilizing resonance (so called Centaurs) are named for centaurs.
* Objects crossing or approaching the orbit of Neptune and in stabilizing resonances other than 1:1 (notably the Plutinos at the 2:3 resonance) are given mythological names associated with the underworld
* Objects sufficiently outside Neptune's orbit that orbital stability is reasonably assured for a substantial fraction of the lifetime of the solar system (so called Cubewanos or "classical" TNOs) are given mythological names associated with creation.
* Objects that approach or cross Earth's orbit (so called Near Earth Asteroids) are generally given mythological names.

Accepted names become official when they are published, along with their accompanying citations, in the Minor Planet Circulars, issued monthly by the Minor Planet Center.