Science
Related: About this forumFar Out: Astronomers Say Two Unknown Planets May Lurk Beyond Pluto
"Planet X" might actually exist and so might "Planet Y."
At least two planets larger than Earth likely lurk in the dark depths of space far beyond Pluto, just waiting to be discovered, a new analysis of the orbits of "extreme trans-Neptunian objects" (ETNOs) suggests.
Researchers studied 13 ETNOs frigid bodies such as the dwarf planet Sedna that cruise around the sun at great distances in elliptical paths.
Theory predicts a certain set of details for ETNO orbits, study team members said. For example, they should have a semi-major axis, or average distance from the sun, of about 150 astronomical units (AU). (1 AU is the distance from Earth to the sun roughly 93 million miles, or 150 million kilometers.) These orbits should also have an inclination, relative to the plane of the solar system, of almost 0 degrees, among other characteristics.
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/far-out-astronomers-say-two-unknown-planets-may-lurk-beyond-n287856
eppur_se_muova
(36,299 posts)IDemo
(16,926 posts)eppur_se_muova
(36,299 posts)"Nearly zero" would express the idea better. "Almost" suggests "smaller in magnitude", which is impossible when comparing to zero, or "arithmetically less", meaning a negative number, which could still be sizable.
I guess scientists are pickier about such things than journalists.
IDemo
(16,926 posts)While it can certainly mean a quantity less-than, it can also mean "in the vicinity". "Near" or "approximately" would be better suited, but I'm not seeing a major offense here.
Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)jimlup
(7,968 posts)"almost zero" is a perfectly legitimate descriptive term. I would use it myself in similar descriptions. That would mean for example when compared to Pluto which is (if I recall correctly) approximately 20 degrees. Thus 2 degrees or even 7 degrees would easily qualify as "almost" zero.
Just say'n
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)signed____________Pluto
Fozzledick
(3,860 posts)Fortinbras Armstrong
(4,473 posts)For one and Tuoni (the Finnish equivalent to Hel) for the other.