Myopic Astronomer's Kaleidoscope

By Dr David Whitehouse
Science Editor BBC news website

Astronomers in the United States have announced the discovery of the 10th planet to orbit our Sun. The largest object found in our Solar System since Neptune was discovered in 1846, it was first seen in 2003 but has only now been confirmed as a planet.

Designated 2003 UB313, it is about 3,000km across, a world of rock and ice and somewhat larger than Pluto. Scientists say it is three times as far away as Pluto, in an orbit at an angle to the orbits of the other planets.

Also see the following link

Distant object found orbiting Sun
By Dr David Whitehouse
Science editor, BBC News website

Astronomers have found a large object in the Solar System's outer reaches. It is being hailed as "a great discovery".

Details of the object are still sketchy. It never comes closer to the Sun than Neptune and spends most of its time much further out than Pluto. It is one of the largest objects ever found in the outer Solar System and is almost certainly made of ice and rock. It is at least 1,500km (930 miles) across and may be larger than Pluto, which is 2,274km (1,400 miles) across.....
.....
It was picked up by astronomers of the Institute of Astrophysics in Andalusia (Spain) as part of a survey of the outer solar system for new objects that they have been carrying out since 2002....
.....