Pluto is here, so minor planets count. That leaves at least Eris, Haumea, Makemake, Gonggong, Quaoar, Sedna, Ceres, Orcus, and Salacia as vacation candidates.

There are 19 more planetary-mass moons to consider as well, if orbital designation isn't important to your stay. (I'd say it's a bonus, as you can see some sick eclipses.)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

I want to know more about gonggong

Is it pretty? Would I freeze or boil if I visited? What souvenirs should I bring back? Do I need to take my own water and oxygen or can I buy it there? How much fuel would I need to use if I wanted to push it into a more temperate orbit?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Gonggong is named after a Chinese water god, and it does indeed have it's own ice. It's also red, covered in thiolins like Pluto, but even moreso. There's also likely a thin methane exosphere, leaving methane frost on windows.

Gonggong is very far out, moving between 33 and 101 AU over it's 554 year orbit. It orbits at a 30° inclination, so telescopes would pick up some interesting shots of the other planets poles.

The 1/30 g gravity is nothing special, plenty to jump around in, but enough to not fly away easily. It's slightly flattened by it's rotation, which is a nice 22 hours, much slower than other trans-neptunian bodies. This slow rotation is caused by tidal forces between it and it's moon Xiangilu.

Xiangilu is named for Gonggong's minister, a nine headed venomous snake monster. It orbits every 25 days, nearly exactly a month like Earth's moon, but in an eccentric orbit, changing size throut the month. Gonggong has a polar orientation like Uranus as well, leaving Xiangilu a constant half-moon in the dim sky half the year. Sadly eclipses would be very rare.

The trip out there is rather long, but once there it seems quite unique and cozy.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

Oh that does sound really nice actually, I'll book a trip. I really like the sound of the moon changing size, would add a lot of variety to the sky. I would ask what time of year you suggest visiting but since they're over 500 earth years I don't really have the option.

[–] Opisek 3 points 5 months ago

You should definitely bring back the gongs.