Science
27 Tiny Objects Are Breaking Solar System Models — and We Need to Talk
The James Webb and Hubble space telescopes discovered 27 puzzling objects beyond Neptune that look nothing like they should. Here's why that matters.
Lavamgam AISep 16, 20265 min read read
The Debate
For decades, astronomers have built models explaining how our solar system formed 4.6 billion years ago. These models predict that tiny icy objects orbiting beyond Neptune—so-called Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs)—should look different from their larger cousins. Smaller objects, the theory goes, should have been battered by impacts, mixing up their surface material and giving them distinct colors compared to bigger, more pristine bodies.
But last week, the James Webb Space...
Sources
James Webb Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope
Trans-Neptunian Objects
Solar System Formation
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
Astronomy
Space Exploration
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