Largest planet in the solar system could be about to be discovered –- and it's up to four times the size of Jupiter
Scientists believe they may have found a new planet in the far reaches of the solar system, up to four times the mass of Jupiter. Its orbit would be thousands of times further from the Sun than the Earth's - which could explain why it has so far remained undiscovered.
Data which could prove the existence of Tyche, a gas giant in the outer Oort Cloud, is set to be released later this year - although some believe proof has already been garnered by Nasa with its pace telescope, Wise, and is waiting to be pored over.
A new world? Astronomers believe a huge gas giant may be within the remote Oort Cloud region
Prof Daniel Whitmire from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette believes the data may prove Tyche's existence within two years. He told the Independent: 'If it does, [fellow astrophysicist Prof John Matese] and I will be doing cartwheels. And that's not easy at our age.'
He added he believes it will mainly be made of hydrogen and helium, with an atmosphere like Jupiter's, with spots and rings and clouds, adding: 'You'd also expect it to have moons. All the outer planets have them.'
He believes the planet is so huge, it will ahve a raised temperature left from its formation that will make it far higher than others, such as Pluto, at -73C, as 'it takes an object this size a long time to cool off'.
Isolated: The Oort Cloud, where Tyche is believed to be, is a sphere with a radius of one light year
He and Prof Matese first suggested Tyche existed because of the angle comets were arriving, with a fifth of the expected number since 1898 entering higher than expected. However, Tyche - if it exists - should also dislodge comets closer to home, from the inner Oort Cloud, but they have not been seen.
If confirmed, the status and name of the new planet - which would become the ninth and potentially the largest - would then have to be agreed by the International Astronomical Union. Currently named Tyche, from the Greek goddess that governed the destiny of a city, its name may have to change, as it originated from a theory which has now been largely abandoned.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1356748/Search-Tyche-believed-largest-planet-solar-system.html#ixzz1E2BzFCnQ
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Gudinden Tykhe
TYKHE was the goddess or spirit of fortune, chance, providence and fate. She was usually honored in a more favorable light as Eutykhia, goddess of good fortune, luck, success and prosperity.Tykhe was represented with different attributes. Holding a rudder, she was conceived as the divinity guiding and conducting the affairs of the world, and in this respect she was called one of the Moirai (Fates); with a ball she represented the varying unsteadiness of fortune -- unsteady and capable of rolling in any direction; with Ploutos or the horn of Amalthea, she was the symbol of the plentiful gifts of fortune.
mythology of Tyche
It appears from the mythology of Tyche that she has an affinity with the Virgo constellation- and this link may help determine Tyche's astrological significance, if there is indeed a meaningful connection between Tyche and Virgo. The Romans were inspired by the myths related to the Greek deity Tyche and created the Goddess Fortuna, who also represented luck, fortune and “concept” in life.
Kilde:
http://stellarinsights108.blogspot.com/2011/02/new-addition-to-solar-system.html
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