Seed Magazine
The 10th Planet

Seed Magazine
The Year in Science: The 10th Planet

Early in 2006, astronomer Michael Brown of The California University of Technology, discovered the biggest object in our solar system since Neptune in 1846. This object is tentatively titled, 2003: UB313 and is considered by many to be the 10th planet in our solar system. At three times the distance that Pluto is from our sun, 2003:UB313 is the most distant object ever seen orbiting the sun. The discovery of this new object has again raised the question as to whether Pluto meets the criteria to truly be considered a planet. According to Michael Brown, the question has become a heated topic in the astronomy community. Many astronomers feel Pluto should be taken off the list of planets.

I was asked to come up with an idea for a photograph to accompany an article that considered this discovery one of the top ten scientific findings of the year 2005. Seed paired ten 'creative types' with ten scientists to work together, so I was paired up with Michael Brown to illustrate the discovery and its grand relevance. He was used as a sounding board for my concept.

My concept was to portray this new planetary object as something that everyone should run out and educate themselves about. In the American culture, most people want to rush out and buy the newest, greatest products on the market and the predecessors to the latest products are therefore immediately considered to be yesterday's news, almost irrelevant.

I had a three by ten foot banner made and hung it outside of a teacher's supply store to convey my idea.

2003:UB313 has its own moon and is considerably larger in size than Pluto. A committee at the International Astronomical Union is currently trying to decide precisely what to name the planet. It will eventually have an official name, in the Greco-Roman tradition of previous planets.