Further Reading

Thursday, 28 June 2007

Sedna: the solar system's most distant object

Back in March 2004, NASA announced it might have discovered a new planet in our solar system. The last time astronomers and astrologers got so excited was when Pluto was discovered in 1930. Sedna was actually discovered back in November 2003 but was officially confirmed in the press on March 15, 2004.

A perception exists that the discovery of a new planet throws everything out of whack and is more of an aggravation than a cause for celebration. As at June 2007, the scientific community is still debating whether or not Sedna is a genuine planet or an icy body. Certainly from an astrological point of view, it would be advantageous if it was decided that Sedna is a planet as icy bodies and asteroids are not nearly as influential in a chart. There has been some controversy surrounding the recent announcement that Pluto has been discovered to be an icy body and not a planet as originally thought. There is, however, much to reinforce Pluto's position astrologically through its discovery in 1930 coinciding with a global recession in 1929, the rise of fascism and World War Two and the discovery of nuclear power.

A perception exists that the discovery of a new planet throws everything out of whack and is more of an aggravation than a cause for celebration. As at June 2007, the scientific community is still debating whether or not Sedna is a genuine planet or an icy body. Certainly from an astrological point of view, it would be advantageous if it was decided that Sedna is a planet as icy bodies and asteroids are not nearly as influential in a chart. There has been some controversy surrounding the recent announcement that Pluto has been discovered to be an icy body and not a planet as originally thought. There is, however, much to reinforce Pluto's position astrologically through its discovery in 1930 coinciding with a global recession in 1929, the rise of fascism and World War Two and the discovery of nuclear power.

Sedna is approximately 10 billion kilometers from Earth and has a temperature that does not rise above 400 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.

It resides in the Kuiper Belt, a distant ring of icy planetoid bodies that orbit beyond Neptune.

It has an erratic orbit approximately 10,500 years long.

Sedna will become brighter over the next 72 years before her orbit brings her back the outer reaches of space.(Jeff Prince)