back to article NASA says New Horizons' next stop might have a moon

NASA's hypothesised that MU69, the Kuiper Belt object that is the New Horizons probe's next destination, has a moon. To figure out what awaits New Horizons at MU69 we've peered at it with telescopes, a process that yielded a hypothesis that the object is one rock that looks a bit like a duck, or might even be two rocks …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Not again...

    Is there anything out there that doesn't have a moon?

    1. jake Silver badge

      Re: Not again...

      The Sun has no moons.

      1. Lars Silver badge
        Unhappy

        Re: Not again...

        "The Sun has no moons.". They are called planets for some odd reason.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Not again...

      Alderaan

      1. jake Silver badge

        Re: Not again...

        I'll bet you a wooden nickle that there is at least one moon in Al-Dhira' ...

        Oh. You meant the fictional version? There will be as many as they decide to write into the next script. Think of all the toys Disney could sell!

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Not again...

      The moon.

      1. smartermind

        Re: Not again...

        The moon has a moon: it's called the Earth. The Earth orbits the moon just like the moon orbits the Earth.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          "The Earth orbits the moon"

          Actually, they orbit the barycenter of the system - just the barycenter is still inside the Earth surface.

          That also makes debatable if this is a "binary planetary system" or not - but all it's up to a definition of "binary planetary system".

        2. PNGuinn
          Joke

          Re: Not again...The moon has a moon: it's called the Earth.

          I'll see your moon and raise you the sun. (That way you'll save it having to get up tomorrow). Its moon(s) is the earth and all the other planetses and Pluto is still a planetses - so there!

          And from where I live I see the sun go round me just like the moon, so the sun must be a moon or the sun is flat!

          I'll think I'll found the flat sun society. Bound to get lots and lots of members if I do.*

          Anyways, the serious thing is - *ANOTHER* ducky shaped bit of rock?? WTF is the matter with the universe these days? Does this one phart? Enquiring minds etc ...

          * Sadly that bit's not a joke.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Is there anything out there that doesn't have a moon?

      Mercury? Venus?

      1. Mpeler
        Paris Hilton

        Re: Is there anything out there that doesn't have a moon?

        The Kardashians?

        Oh, wait...

    5. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Not again...

      Earth in Space: 1999

    6. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Not again...

      The Who.

    7. smartermind

      Re: Not again...

      The Intelligent life cigar-cum-turd-shaped intergalactic asteroid-cum-spaceship hurtling through the solar system doesn't, yet, have a "moon".

      You are right this is just one rock with a tiny pebble orbiting it. Calling it a "moon" is ridiculous more so than calling Pluto a planet.

    8. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Not again...

      Moons are more important than the sun- they give you light at night when you really need it.

      Can't understand why you see a problem...

      :)

    9. CrazyOldCatMan Silver badge

      Re: Not again...

      Is there anything out there that doesn't have a moon?

      Strictly speaking (no, not the 'dance' competition..), the Moon isn't actually a moon but rather part of a binary planet system.

      Or so I was told by an astronomer at a party. And he wouldn't lie would he? Even if we'd consumed considerable amounts of incofrol by that time..

    10. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Devil

      Re: Not again...

      what do you call it when a moon has a moon?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Not again...

        what do you call it when a moon has a moon?

        Inception.

        Its turtles all the way down!

    11. This post has been deleted by its author

  2. jake Silver badge

    Cool.

    They've finally found the nuke-launched manhole cover.

  3. bazza Silver badge

    Three Cheers...

    ...for the boffins who constantly remind us that, whilst we do know quite a lot, really the universe is never going to run out of surprises.

    Plus top marks for some first rate science, engineering, flying and teamwork.

    I mention flying because it can’t be trivial to intercept the shadow of a rock that’s a few billion miles away. It’s not like there is a dark shadow racing across the ground to aim for. Plus it’s a really valuable trick that no other telescope in the world can do, so keeping it funded seems quite important!

    Altogether now, hip hip?

  4. Ralph the Wonder Llama
    Coat

    That's no moon...

    ...sorry.

  5. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
    Pint

    Wonderful stuff

    NASA, ESA and all those other organisations just keep on producing such exciting stuff!

  6. Anonymous Git
    Angel

    " or might even be two rocks in very close" …

    very close what....tell me...! the suspense is killing me lol

    1. Pedigree-Pete
      Pint

      ..too excited.

      @Anonymous Git. Calm down. It's not due to get there for another year and a bit. :) PP

      Icon> One for the Boffins

      1. Anonymous Git

        Re: ..too excited.

        i was pointing out the sentence just stops without a concluding word or even a period. lol

  7. Robert Heffernan

    "Artists" Impression

    That artists impression is pretty shit. The moon is exactly the same model as the big rock, just moved and shrunk, not even re-orientated. #AmatureHour

  8. CentralCoasty
    Alert

    Ooops....

    Just realised... its the Fithp coming with their footfall.....

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