Space rock shares orbit with planet Uranus

Scientists have spotted a space rock, about 61km wide, that tags along with the planet Uranus.

Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Neptune all have travelling companions - space rocks that share the planets' orbits as they circle the sun.

Now scientists have discovered one that tags along with Uranus.

About 61km wide, the icy rock runs ahead of the planet.

The object was first spotted in 2011 by a group of Canadian and French scientists led by the University of British Columbia.

The team reported the discovery in Friday's issue of Science.

Some 6000 space rocks are known to follow Jupiter, the most of any planet. Earth shares its orbit with a tiny asteroid.

Scientists say the latest find's makeup is similar to a comet.

A million years from now, the rock will escape back into the outer solar system.


Share

1 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world