Jul 17, 2008 09:25 AM
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San Francisco, 12:47 PM
Tue Feb 9
27 posts in the last 24 hours
Not only does the "Kuiper Belt object" Makemake have a terrific name, but it is also one of the first chunks of rock to earn the International Astronomical Union's new designation of planetoid or "plutoid" along with controversial "planet or not" Pluto. Most plutoids exist beyond the orbit of Neptune, and according to Charles Stross they will make perfect homes for the robots that will eventually take over our solar system. [USGS Astrogeology]
Send an email to Annalee Newitz, the author of this post, at annalee@io9.com.
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