EPISODE · Sep 12, 2025 · 4 MIN
Makemake: The Red World Beyond Pluto — Hidden Heat and Possible Ocean
from Intellectually Curious · host Mike Breault
From its 2005 discovery by Mike Brown's team to its high-inclination orbit that kept it hidden in dense star fields, Makemake is a bright but enigmatic dwarf planet beyond Neptune. We explore how its Easter Island name origin became Makemake, its red, methane- and ethane-ice surface at about 40 K, and the surprising hints that it may host geothermal activity and a subsurface ocean. We also examine the 2011 occultation showing no substantial atmosphere, the single moon MK2, and what Makemake teaches us about the diversity of the Kuiper Belt and how internal heat reshapes our ideas of habitability in the outer solar system.Note: This podcast was AI-generated, and sometimes AI can make mistakes. Please double-check any critical information.Sponsored by Embersilk LLC
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From its 2005 discovery by Mike Brown's team to its high-inclination orbit that kept it hidden in dense star fields, Makemake is a bright but enigmatic dwarf planet beyond Neptune. We explore how its Easter Island name origin became Makemake, its red, methane- and ethane-ice surface at about 40 K, and the surprising hints that it may host geothermal activity and a subsurface ocean. We also examine the 2011 occultation showing no substantial atmosphere, the single moon MK2, and what Makemake t...
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Makemake: The Red World Beyond Pluto — Hidden Heat and Possible Ocean
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