Hubble and Webb turned up 27 newly found trans-Neptunian objects, the smallest about 5 kilometres across. Their surface colours match those of much larger bodies in the same region. Correio Braziliense reported that both cold and hot orbital groups kept their formation colours, and that researchers found fewer small objects than some models predicted.
The survey turned up 27 newly found trans-Neptunian objects. The smallest is about 5 kilometres across and five times smaller than ground telescopes can reach. Correio Braziliense reported that Hubble and Webb together found these 27 tiny objects, one so faint it is like seeing a swarm of fireflies on the Moon from Earth. The objects are more than 100 million times dimmer than anything the unaided eye can see.[1], [2]
Their surface colours match those of much larger bodies in the same region. Correio Braziliense wrote that the small bodies look much like larger ones in colour and composition. Anastasia Morgan of Northern Arizona University, who led the colour work, said the smallest objects are somehow remembering and preserving the history of how they were made. Co-author David Trilling said dynamically hot trans-Neptunian objects retain a signature of where they were born even after orbital changes.[1], [2]
Researchers found fewer of these very small bodies than they expected based on some planet formation models. Hubble supplied the visible light and Webb the infrared. A companion study of how the sizes are distributed was led by Marielle Eduardo at the University of Victoria. Correio Braziliense reported Eduardo's remark that formation appears to create the same size distribution for both populations. Both papers appeared in The Astronomical Journal on Tuesday.[1], [2]
