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Tuesday, May 3, 2016

A new moon on Makemake's orbit was discovered by Hubble telescope

Pluto, the former planet in our solar system known to have several 'brothers' are incorporated in the dwarf planet club. One of the dwarf planets named 'Makemake' which was found in 2005, that became one of the causes that make Pluto excluded from the list of planets in our solar system.

As if not to be outdone by her sister Pluto, Makemake which has a diameter of no more than 1,400 kilometers recently known to have its own moon. The Moon was discovered by researchers at the Hubble Space Telescope. They say, the planet has a moon with the orbit is about 21,000 kilometers.
An undated photo provided by NASA and made by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope shows a small, dark moon orbiting Makemake, the second brightest icy dwarf planet after Pluto in the Kuiper Belt. This is the first discovery of a companion object to Makemake. The moon, provisionally designated S/2015 (136472) 1 and nicknamed MK 2, is more than 1,300 times fainter than Makemake. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1ZuFPQ)
This new moon given the name of the 'S/2015 (136472) 1' or so-called 'MK2,' discovered on last April by the same scientists who discovered Eris and Makemake 10 years ago. As quoted by the Washington Post on Thursday, April 28, 2016, the search was quite difficult because of the Makemake's sparkle was so bright, considering it was the second most brightest planet after Pluto.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope
 (Picture from: http://imagine-hawaii.com/)
Although the age of Hubble telescope is quite old, yet the sophisticated telescope that is launched into the outer space 26 years ago, was still able to capture the existence of MK2 moon in between the sparkle of Makemake.

The MK2 moon is believed to have a diameter of 160 kilometers and charcoal black. The color is allegedly due to so small it lacks the gravitational power necessary to hold onto a bright, icy crust. It has also been experienced by many comets and another celestial objects in the Kuiper Belt.

The discovery of the MK2 moon will support and more convincing the relationship between Pluto and other dwarf planets thus more appropriate for her to join them. And the presence of MK2 also provide more information for the astronomers as additional material in studying the Makemake.

By observing the MK2 moon as Makemake's satellite, will also provide information for scientists on the gravity relationship between two celestial objects that ease to calculate the mass of the planet. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | WASHINGTON POST]
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