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Yet Eris is the second most reflective body in the entire solar system, reflecting about 86% of the incident sunlight. Eris is also uniformly white on its surface, whereas Pluto is a mottled brown. The discoverers believe that this is due entirely to Eris' present far-flung position (near aphelion), and point out that Eris' orbit is the most eccentric orbit of any satellite of the [[Sun]], except for [[comet]]s.
Yet Eris is the second most reflective body in the entire solar system, reflecting about 86% of the incident sunlight. Eris is also uniformly white on its surface, whereas Pluto is a mottled brown. The discoverers believe that this is due entirely to Eris' present far-flung position (near aphelion), and point out that Eris' orbit is the most eccentric orbit of any satellite of the [[Sun]], except for [[comet]]s.
== Implications for Other Trans-Neptunian Objects ==
Brown ''et al.'' noted<ref name=Brown2/> in 2005 that Eris, Dysnomia's primary, is one of three of the four brightest Kuiper belt objects that have satellites. (The other two are [[Pluto]] and 2003 EL<sub>61</sub>.) The fourth, 2005 FY<sub>9</sub>, has no satellite that Earth-based telescopes can presently detect. Most Kuiper belt objects ''do not'' have satellites, and that three of the four brightest should have satellites suggests that their origins were significantly different from those of other Kuiper belt objects.
== Problem for uniformitarian theories ==
Brown states<ref name=Brown1/> that the near-circular orbit of Dysnomia about Eris actually is consistent with Dysnomia's origin as the result of a collision between Eris and another object. But no astronomer has ever explained how such a collision would leave an object in a nearly circular orbit about its primary.
== Satellites ==
== Satellites ==
Eris has one known satellite, a tiny moon called [[Dysnomia]]. In classical [[mythology]], Dysnomia is the name given to Eris' daughter, who is a symbol of actual lawlessness.
Eris has one known satellite, a tiny moon called [[satellite::Dysnomia]]. In classical [[mythology]], Dysnomia is the name given to Eris' daughter, who is a symbol of actual lawlessness.
== Observation and exploration ==
The [[Hubble Space Telescope]] and the Keck Observatory are the first two telescopes to observe the Eridian system. No deep-space missions are planned.
== References ==
== References ==