Tuesday, February 15, 2011

New Planet To Play With?

We should brace ourselves for an onslaught of daft articles and commentary about the "new" planet, which may or may not exist in the outer reaches of our solar system. The body temporarily goes by the name Tyche. If confirmed, in due course the body will be re-named. Let's not rush to the assumption that naming it Tyche, who was goddess of good fortune, is of any significance. Likewise in respect of any future name it acquires.



The Mail on Line told us yesterday:


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.

One commenter said:
....well this will make the astrologers seem more stupid than they already are...if that's possible!
I'd say rather that it'll make commenters seem more stupid than they already are!

Even if this body is confirmed as being within our solar system, I read somewhere that its orbit is well over 3000 years. It's hardly likely to have any astrological interpretation other than in a VERY long-term historical context.

Another report on this topic from UK's Independent newspaper.


It's very tempting to mention Nibiru - but I'm not going there - not yet! I must guard against appearing more stupid than I actually am.

6 comments:

Gian Paul said...

Now we have 3: There is "Transpluto" discovered in the 30's (last century), Ephemeris was duly published in Germany, "Cruithne", the earth's second moon, orbiting earth once every 770 years (!) and this "Tyche" giant now.

What to make out of it, astrologically? It confirms that there is more "out there" then people suspect. Shakespeare said it more poetically in Julius Cesar.

Astrology Unboxed said...

What a 14th planet? So soon after Opiuchus! Be still my heart! I do not know if I can take anymore of this kind of news.
For any of those interested, there is a new information service created by ISAR, NCGR and AFAN to deal with the onslaught that will come with this new planet. They have some good articles on Opiuchus and the whole enchilada.
http://astrologynewsservice.com/

Unknown said...

I always find it amazing how geocentric the people on this planet are.

We all seem to forget, most of the time, that while the planets revolve around the Sun, the Sun and our solar system is in rotation around the centre of our galaxy and the galaxy around whatever point in the Universe is it's attractor.

So our solar system is currently in a place in our galaxy that it hasn't been in for millenia or ever at all depending on whether or not it has some sort of wobble or precessional "tilt".

Our technology is so miniscule in comparison to the vastness that is out there. Saying that, clearly we are expanding our boundaries and it is hardly surprising to find there are potential worlds like ours and above all other forces that will exert some sort of influence on life as we know it.

These sorts of things only serve to remind us that we are no more than a pimple on the backside of the cosmos.

And this is only the 3rd rock from the Sun after all...:-)

Twilight said...

Gian Paul ~~~ Yes - we don't even know a tiny fraction of what there is to know. I suspect our brains aren't developed enough to do so, and it would be bad for us to know things we could not comfortably live with at our current stage.

Twilight said...

Astrology Unboxed (Fabienne) ~~
I can tell you're quite overcome Fabienne. Mop that fevered brow!

Thank you for the useful link.
:-)

Twilight said...

Rossa ~~~ True enough. And a rather sore pimple at that! It would serve us right if the Cosmos gave us a good scratching.
;-)