What you may not have realised is that York played a key part in that discovery.
It was astronomers at the Flagstaff observatory in Arizona who took the first photographs of the tiny planet – which has, since 2006, been reclassified as a ‘dwarf planet’ because it is so small.
They were using a small 13-inch telescope - with a lens made by Thomas Cooke & Sons right here in York.
It’s a discovery that has delighted astronomer Martin Lunn, who for many years was curator of astronomy at the Yorkshire Museum.
YOU’LL FIND MORE ON THIS STORY AND OTHERS AT www.yorkpress.co.uk OR PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE NEWSPAPER ITSELF AVAILABLE SIX DAYS A WEEK AT YOUR LOCAL NEWSAGENT
York is set for its hottest day of the year so far today (Thursday, May 1) – with temperatures expected to hit 26C.
