Dark Star: The discovery of this object is not entirely unexpected, in that new technology is helping astronomers to look deeper into the void beyond Pluto to search out dark objects, some of them clearly sizeable. If Sedna turns out to be as large as Pluto, which is still possible, then it would properly be called a planet. However, this is likely to re-ignite debate about what a planet really is, and whether Pluto itself is simply a large, spheroid-shaped asteroid, accompanied by its relatively large 'moon' Charon. At the moment, it is thought to be smaller than Pluto, but bigger than Quaoar, so it is by no means certain what will be decided for it in time. Sedna is currently at its closest approach to the Sun, of 'perihelion'. Its orbit is elliptical, but falls well within the boundary of the inner Oort Cloud at its most distant point in its long orbit..
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