# Ultima Thule tracking thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 31, 2018, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultima-thule-tracking-thread/827012 "2018-12-31T23:19:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultima-thule-tracking-thread/827012/41 "2019-01-17T16:20:11Z")
that data is being redacted ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultima-thule-tracking-thread/827012/42 "2019-01-17T18:59:17Z")
NASA’s hiding the evidence because if people found out it was artificial, they’d demand another mission to learn more about it, and NASA would get a huge influx of money and resources, which they don’t want to happen because … uh … because _the government_! ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultima-thule-tracking-thread/827012/43 "2019-01-17T19:19:20Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > NASA’s hiding the evidence because if people found out it was artificial, they’d demand another mission to learn more about it, and NASA would get a huge influx of money and resources, which they don’t want to happen because … uh … because _the government_! Ha! That’s pretty much what I always thought about the idea that there’s a Giant Face On Mars, and _NASA Is Covering It Up_. “Doctor, this is evidence of intelligent life on Mars–life that was either humanoid, or quite possibly was _attempting to send us a message_. Do you realize the implications of this?” “Oh my God…Congress would give us _unlimited funding!_ It would make the Apollo Program look like a rounding error!” “Exactly! And we must, of course, avoid such an outcome at all costs.” Anyway, you go, New Horizons! I am eagerly awaiting more data (especially pretty pictures, because I’m not actually a scientist). ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2019, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultima-thule-tracking-thread/827012/44 "2019-02-08T20:58:19Z")
“Ultima” is much flatter than previously thought: > **[New images of the distant Ultima Thule object have surprised scientists](https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/02/it-looks-like-ultima-thule-may-be-more-of-a-pancake-than-snowman/)** > > "The new images are creating scientific puzzles." Brian ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2019, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultima-thule-tracking-thread/827012/45 "2019-11-15T05:42:20Z")
Apparently the name “Thule” has an unacceptable association with the Nazis, so its official name is now “Arrokoth”, which a NA word that means “sky”. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultima-thule-tracking-thread/827012/46 "2020-02-20T15:44:50Z")
[Analysis of Arrokoth](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-horizons-may-have-solved-planet-formation-cold-case/?) seems to support the idea of planet formation via streaming instability, as opposed to hierarchical accretion. Interesting Sci-Am piece. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultima-thule-tracking-thread/827012/47 "2020-02-20T15:53:30Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Analysis of Arrokoth Isn’t that the Warcraft expansion where you play a scholar who runs farming spreadsheets all day? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultima-thule-tracking-thread/827012/48 "2020-02-20T20:37:58Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > [Analysis of Arrokoth](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-horizons-may-have-solved-planet-formation-cold-case/?) seems to support the idea of planet formation via streaming instability, as opposed to hierarchical accretion. Interesting Sci-Am piece. So “streaming instability” is responsible for the Solar System as we know it. Didn’t know Comcast had been around that long. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultima-thule-tracking-thread/827012/49 "2020-02-21T08:40:43Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Apparently the name “Thule” has an unacceptable association with the Nazis, so its official name is now “Arrokoth”, which a NA word that means “sky”. Now it sounds like some kind of Hittite demon. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ultima-thule-tracking-thread/827012.md?page=2)