<p>There have been lots of new TNOs found in the last decade.</p>
<p>Would a telescope far from the ecliptic plane be useful to image them, and spot new ones?</p>
<p>What about planet nine, assuming it exists: would it markedly improve the odds of finding it? Would it provide important images?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-10-10T06:11:32.683Z
Can you spell out what you mean by far from the ecliptic plane? I would assume you mean a space telescope with an orbit highly inclined to that of the Earth.  And perhaps say why you think it should improve detectability?
ProfRob
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2021-10-10T07:47:31.760Z
Thanks for your interest. I mean that the telescope is at the origin of a cone whose base is in the ecliptic plane. The telescope would be drifting slowly away, so that the height of the cone is growing. This would offer "views from above" of the solar system. My simple-minded idea is that such views may improve detectability by their different angle and background stars.
Thomas Sauvaget
<telescope><ecliptic><trans-neptunian-object>
Would a telescope substantially away from the ecliptic plane improve TNO detection?
Thomas Sauvaget
# Would a telescope substantially away from the ecliptic plane improve TNO detection?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-10-09)

There have been lots of new TNOs found in the last decade.

Would a telescope far from the ecliptic plane be useful to image them, and spot new ones?

What about planet nine, assuming it exists: would it markedly improve the odds of finding it? Would it provide important images?

**Tags:** telescope, ecliptic, trans-neptunian-object

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you spell out what you mean by far from the ecliptic plane? I would assume you mean a space telescope with an orbit highly inclined to that of the Earth.  And perhaps say why you think it should improve detectability?  
> **username_0**: Thanks for your interest. I mean that the telescope is at the origin of a cone whose base is in the ecliptic plane. The telescope would be drifting slowly away, so that the height of the cone is growing. This would offer "views from above" of the solar system. My simple-minded idea is that such views may improve detectability by their different angle and background stars.  

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## 0 answers

