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M.E. Brown (Caltech), C.A. Trujillo (Gemini Observatory), D. Rabinowitz (Yale), J. Stansberry (University of Arizona), F. Bertoldi (MPIfR), C.D. Koresko (JPL)
The discovery of Sedna (2003 VB12) in the distant solar system well beyond the edge of the Kuiper belt has given us a first glimpse into what is likely a vast population stranded between the the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud. We will discuss the possible sources of this new population and show that characterizing this distant population has the possibility to profoundly enhance our understanding of the formation of the solar system.
Since the discovery in November 2003, we have performed extensive observations from the near-UV to the millimeter -- using the Keck, Gemini, and SMARTS observatories, HST, Spitzer, and IRAM -- to characterize the physical properties of this body. We will review all of the available observations and show that the characteristics do not fit into our expectations of what a body at this distance from the sun should be like.
Finally we will discuss future observational opportunities and what more could be learned from this enigmatic body.
If you would like more information about this abstract, please follow the link to http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/sedna. This link was provided by the author. When you follow it, you will leave the Web site for this meeting; to return, you should use the Back comand on your browser.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #4
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.