Is Nemesis a Real Companion Star to Our Sun?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the hypothetical companion star "Nemesis" to our Sun, with participants examining claims of its existence, particularly in light of recent articles suggesting a discovery. The conversation touches on the implications for the orbit of the distant object Sedna and the credibility of sources discussing these claims.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant mentions Spanish astronomers claiming to have found Nemesis, but another counters that the object in question was identified as a known young supernova (G1.9).
  • There is skepticism about the credibility of the claims regarding Nemesis, with one participant suggesting that if the discovery were valid, it would have garnered significant attention from the astronomical community.
  • Some participants propose that there could be a 'Neptunian' or brown dwarf object influencing Sedna's orbit, though this remains speculative until further data from the WISE infrared survey is available.
  • Concerns are raised about the reliability of the sources discussing Nemesis, with one participant advising caution against articles that lack coverage from major scientific outlets.
  • Another participant suggests that Sedna's long and distant orbit may have been altered in the early solar system, but emphasizes that its current orbit is simply a result of its history rather than an active cause.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express skepticism about the existence of Nemesis and the validity of the claims surrounding it. Multiple competing views remain regarding the potential influences on Sedna's orbit, and the discussion does not reach a consensus on the existence of a companion star.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the lack of major scientific validation for the claims about Nemesis and express uncertainty about the implications for Sedna's orbit, indicating that the discussion is based on speculative reasoning rather than established facts.

YoungDreamer
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I was reading about the hypothectical companion star "Nemesis" and I came across an article in which Spanish astronomers claimed to have found it. Then I seen another article that said what they were looking at was a known young supernova. I believe the name of the star/nova was G1.9

Does anyone know if this is a confirmed dwarf star in our outer solar system?

And is it a generally accepted theory that our sun has a smaller companion star?

If not then what do we think is causing Sednas orbit to be so long and distant?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
http://www.nowpublic.com/tech-biz/g1-9-confirmed-binary-red-dwarf-star-6
 
Given that the referenced article wanders off into la-la land, I'd be suspicious of their claims. Also, if this sighting had any credibility, it would have set a mob of astronomers --amateur and professional-- to aiming their light-buckets and blogging their finds. Hasn't happened.

Against that, there may well be anything from a 'Neptunian' up to a cool 'brown-dwarf' orbiting out beyond Pluto. Possibly multiple. Sedna may have encountered such in the distant past. But, until the WISE infrared survey is complete, we won't know.

FWIW, WISE data has just added a couple of brown dwarfs to our neighbourhood.
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-07-brown-dwarf-solar-neighbors.html
Only, these are 15 & 18 light-years away...
 
YoungDreamer said:
http://www.nowpublic.com/tech-biz/g1-9-confirmed-binary-red-dwarf-star-6

Hah! I got about halfway through the article believe they had made some obvious but understandable mistake, when they started going on about Phonons blocking light, and us Earthlings not knowing some BS law of physics or something. A quick glance at the rest of it showed that it was obvious a site for nonsense and not science.

If not then what do we think is causing Sednas orbit to be so long and distant?

It could have been shifted during the early days of the solar system from a near circular orbit to the one it is in now. There's no telling exactly what happened. But in any case, nothing is CAUSING its orbit to be like it is now, it is simply the way it is.
 
Here's a tip on how to debunk science stories. If none of the major news or science sites are talking about this then it's almost surely nonsense. That story is a year old and none of the legitimate news sites have mentioned it. Therefore it is nonsense. Not only that if you read further into the article they talk about nibiru and other nonsense. They imply that NASA is incompetent or covering up. They use typical crackpot speak when talking about the "science establishment". Stay away from that website.
 
Err, this story falls dead center between the hoof prints.
 
I didn't think it could possibly be true.
I thought pretty much what Nik said.
If it was true it would be a huge story probably all over the news and would have hundreds of articles online. However I wanted to make sure so I figured this would be the best place to get the truth.
 

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