Orcus

Lost in the icy outer reaches of the solar system, Orcus is a mysterious world that shares many secrets with Pluto. This dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt follows almost the same orbit as Pluto, but in the opposite direction from the Sun, as if the two were dancing a mirrored cosmic waltz.

What makes Orcus unique? Unlike its famous “twin,” Orcus is nicknamed “the anti-Pluto”: when Pluto approaches the Sun, Orcus moves away. Its icy, slightly reddish surface betrays the presence of water ice, methane, and ammonia, signs of complex chemistry and an active geological past.

And he is not alone! Orcus has a faithful companion: Vanth, his moon, which orbits very close to him, a cosmic duo that intrigues astronomers as much as it fascinates them.

NEWS FLASH: In Etruscan and Roman mythology, Orcus is a deity of the Underworld, associated with death and the punishment of perjurers. He is often seen as the equivalent of Hades in Greek mythology, or Pluto in Roman mythology. Vanth, in turn, is a winged goddess of death, considered an attendant of the dying, and not a violent figure.

Orcus is the symbol of cosmic balance, of a cool and discreet beauty, watching over us from the shadow of Pluto… ready to remind us that even forgotten worlds have their brilliance. He may look menacing, but his sticker won't do you any harm! (Or maybe… 😈💀)

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PUN: This dead Orcus-tra is playing your requiem!