Highlights
- Scientists want to search for Sedna, the farthest celestial body in the Solar System
- The dwarf planet Sedna will take 11,400 years to complete one orbit of the Sun.
- That is, it reaches its nearest point to the Sun only once every 11,000 years.
Sedna, the farthest celestial body in the Solar System, was discovered in 2003. It is three times farther than Neptune, and will take 11,400 years to orbit the Sun. According to a new research paper, there is a possibility of sending missions to this strange and dwarf planet located beyond Neptune. It is expected to be launched between 2029 and 2034.
If scientists miss this opportunity, remember that it will be impossible to reach Sedna for the next 11,000 years. Sedna is known as the ‘Dwarf Planet’. It is an icy body located in the Solar System, far from the orbits of giant planets. Sedna 2012 is located next to VP113, also known as ‘Biden’. When it was discovered, US President Joe Biden was Vice President of the United States. It’s called a sednoid, and there are many more.
The Sun completes one revolution in 11,400 years
The presence of sedna and sednoids in space indicates the so-called ‘ninth planet’. Scientists have a ‘do or die’ situation ahead of them to go to Sedna. Sedna has a very long orbit and is now approaching the Sun. It is closest to the Sun only once every 11,400 years. In the year 2073-74 it will be closest to the Sun. However, even at this time its distance from the Sun is about 74 au.
The journey should start from 2029 to 2034
This means that even at the nearest point, the sedan is far away from us. The longest distance from the Sun is 937 au. The au unit is used to measure the distance in the solar system. In simple terms, the Sun’s distance from Neptune is 30 au (4.4747 billion km). According to a research paper, the spacecraft will have to travel to Sedna between 2029 and 2034.
Why go to Sedna?
Now the question is, why go to Sedna, which is so far away and difficult to get to? Scientists want to investigate Sedna because the planet’s surface is red, indicating the presence of a hydrocarbon compound called tolins. Another interesting thing is its ice cover, under which the oceans remain.
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