Planet X is dead

[wstevenbrown]

Using a unique pulsar timing method, new constraints have been placed on the mass and distance of any unseen solar system companion:

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0506426

The authors rule out a Jupiter-mass companion within 2000 AU, a Black Hole companion within 80000 AU, and so forth. We seem to be reduced to KBO's of 10 Earth-masses or smaller. Probably, much smaller. [Sigh]

Best regards-- Steve

[ZaphodBeeblebrox]

Using a unique pulsar timing method, new constraints have been placed on the mass and distance of any unseen solar system companion:

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0506426

The authors rule out a Jupiter-mass companion within 2000 AU, a Black Hole companion within 80000 AU, and so forth. We seem to be reduced to KBO's of 10 Earth-masses or smaller. Probably, much smaller. [Sigh]

Best regards-- Steve

[Sings]Ding Dong, The Witch is Dead, The Witch is Dead, The Witch is Dead ...

DING DONG, The Wicked Witch is Dead![/Sings]

[Maha Vailo]

Do you think facts ever got in the way of Nancy's ramblings?

- Maha "you probably know the answer by now, but...." Vailo

[Tranquility]

So there was actually a possibility before that it existed?

Using a unique pulsar timing method, new constraints have been placed on the mass and distance of any unseen solar system companion:

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0506426

The authors rule out a Jupiter-mass companion within 2000 AU, a Black Hole companion within 80000 AU, and so forth. We seem to be reduced to KBO's of 10 Earth-masses or smaller. Probably, much smaller. [Sigh]

Best regards-- Steve

I am puzzled ... the link leads to a simulation of detection limits that might be achieved by GAIA when it is launched in 2011.

[V-GER]

No, no, no. Not only is it incoming, it's also visible!

[frogesque]

Well, maybe Deep Impact is a plot to nuke Planet X

Sanity warning: above GLP link to a Nancy thread

[Laser Jock]

Using a unique pulsar timing method, new constraints have been placed on the mass and distance of any unseen solar system companion:

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0506426

The authors rule out a Jupiter-mass companion within 2000 AU, a Black Hole companion within 80000 AU, and so forth. We seem to be reduced to KBO's of 10 Earth-masses or smaller. Probably, much smaller. [Sigh]

Best regards-- Steve

I am puzzled ... the link leads to a simulation of detection limits that might be achieved by GAIA when it is launched in 2011.

Agreed. Here is the full abstract:

A body in Solar orbit beyond the Kuiper belt exhibits an annual parallax that exceeds its apparent proper motion by up to many orders of magnitude. Apparent motion of this body along the parallactic ellipse will deflect the angular position of background stars due to astrometric microlensing ("induced parallax"). By synoptically sampling the astrometric position of background stars over the entire sky, constraints on the existence (and basic properties) of a massive nearby body may be inferred. With a simple simulation, we estimate the signal-to-noise for detecting such a body -- as function of mass, heliocentric distance, and ecliptic latitude -- using the anticipated sensitivity and temporal cadences from the Global Astrometric Interferometer for Astrophysics (GAIA; launch 2011). A Jupiter-mass (M_Jup) object at 2000 AU is detectable by GAIA over the whole sky above 5-sigma, with even stronger constraints if it lies near the ecliptic plane. Hypotheses for the mass (~3M_Jup), distance (~20,000 AU) and location of the proposed perturber ("Planet X") which gives rise to long-period comets may be testable

The authors haven't ruled anything out yet. They are saying that GAIA should be able to detect distant large-mass objects if they exist.

[collegeguy]

Well, maybe Deep Impact is a plot to nuke Planet X

Sanity warning: above GLP link to a Nancy thread

Even the folks in GLP make fun of her now. Except one that said that he reads with an open mind everything Nacy says. He says to be deeply concerned about The whole Deep Impact event. Zarkov?

[wstevenbrown]

I plead coffee deprivation. The correct citation should have been:

http://arxiv.org/astro-ph/0506548

At certain times of night, all arxiv numbers look the same. The constraints here are somewhat more relaxed, so Planet X, while terminally ill, is not dead yet. Steve

[publiusr]

No black Hole within 80,000 AU? That's kinda sad. I was hoping for one nearby for a trash dump and as a super slingshot for future probes.

[Abraxas365]

Hi All

The paper rules out Jupiter masses out to ~ 200 AU or so. This backs up earlier sky scans that have ruled out the same out to about ~ 400 AU.

So far the pulsar data hasn't ruled out more massive & distant objects - eg. a solar mass black hole out beyond ~ 6,000 AU - and any heavy brown dwarfs beyond ~ 800 AU. As a debunk of impending doom from Nibiru or similar loopy ideas it works quite effectively, but is probably too complicated for the advocates of such ideas to understand and be convinced by.

But what wouldn't be too complicated?

Abraxas

[ZaphodBeeblebrox]

Hi All

The paper rules out Jupiter masses out to ~ 200 AU or so. This backs up earlier sky scans that have ruled out the same out to about ~ 400 AU.

So far the pulsar data hasn't ruled out more massive & distant objects - eg. a solar mass black hole out beyond ~ 6,000 AU - and any heavy brown dwarfs beyond ~ 800 AU. As a debunk of impending doom from Nibiru or similar loopy ideas it works quite effectively, but is probably too complicated for the advocates of such ideas to understand and be convinced by.

But what wouldn't be too complicated?

Abraxas

Tinker Toys?

Naw ...

Too MANY Moving Parts ...

8)