Pluto May Soon Not Be A "Planet" ????

[2nyRiggz]

Stern, in charge of the robotic probe on its way to Pluto, said the language of the resolution is flawed. It requires that a planet "has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit." But Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Neptune all have asteroids as neighbors.

"It's patently clear that Earth's zone is not cleared," Stern told Space.com. "Jupiter has 50,000 Trojan asteroids," which orbit in lockstep with the planet.

Stern called it "absurd" that only 424 astronomers were allowed to vote, out of about 10,000 professional astronomers around the globe.

"It won't stand," he said. "It's a farce."

Stern said astronomers are already circulating a petition that would try to overturn the IAU decision.

Indeed....

Owen Gingerich, historian and astronomer emeritus at Harvard who led the committee that proposed the initial definition, called the new definition "confusing and unfortunate" and said he was "not at all pleased" with the language about clearing the neighborhood.

Gingerich also did not like the term "dwarf" planet.

"I thought that it made a curious linguistic contradiction," Gingerich said during a telephone interview from Boston (where he could not vote). "A dwarf planet is not a planet. I thought that was very awkward."

Gingerich added: "In the future, one would hope the IAU could do electronic balloting."

Indeed again....I think this will be changed soon.

This should bring up some excellent debate in classrooms and in geek-kingdom....good times.

Bless

 

[hmmfe]

Indeed again....I think this will be changed soon.

This should bring up some excellent debate in classrooms and in geek-kingdom....good times.

It is good to see that my reaction was not totally off-base. I am still hunting for the full definition...but the wording seemed like it was spawned from a committee (i.e. a consenus seeking political mess).

 

[CANEHDN]

Well it looks like the decision was made.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/space/article/0,,1857618,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=1#article_continue
Pluto has been demoted to dwarf planet.

 

[asxtb]

Well it looks like the decision was made.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/space/article/0,,1857618,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=1#article_continue
Pluto has been demoted to dwarf planet.

It will always be a planet to me. Long live Pluto!!!

After reading that article it said that Pluto "has an oblong orbit that overlaps with Neptune's, so is disqualified full planet status." Well, maybe Neptune overlaps Pluto's orbit, so Neptune should be disqualified as a full planet.

 

[zap2]

I hope it changes back... i liked Pluto

 

[xsedrinam]

I hope it changes back... i liked Pluto

That purdy much sums it up.

 

[Silentwave]

and pluto was found on my birthday....just about 59 years before Iwas born

 

[seenew]

and pluto was found on my birthday....just about 59 years before Iwas born

If it was on your birthday, wouldn't it be exactly 59 years?


I, too, am sad that Pluto is no longer a planet.
I find it funny, though, that so many people show affection for a lifeless, tiny, distant rock.

 

[emw]

I hope it changes back... i liked Pluto

So you don't like it anymore now that's it not a "planet"? What a snob.

 

[xsedrinam]

So you don't like it anymore now that's it not a "planet"? What a snob.

Ya, imagine how it feels these days, especially the side away from the Sun? And its three little satellites. What will they do, now? Science should consider the whole family before they go pulling planetary plugs.

 

[2nyRiggz]

I'm sure the plutonians already have their intergalactic world destroyers pointing at earth now.....politics as usual.

Think they will name the 2003UB..whatever now?



Bless

 

[aquajet]

I, too, am sad that Pluto is no longer a planet.
I find it funny, though, that so many people show affection for a lifeless, tiny, distant rock.

I can recall as a child gazing at an artist's rendition of the surface of Pluto in an elementary science book. It was an enchanting picture with a sprawling sea of ice and giant, sparkling icicles burgeoning from fantastic rocky formations. For me, that single image evoked feelings of wonder for the mysterious little planet so far away and the recent revocation of Pluto's membership to the prestigious planetary club, in a manner, belittles the poor little critter and as such, is a bit disheartening.

Meh, whatever. However this debate ultimately pans out, Pluto will always hold a special place in my heart.

 

[xsedrinam]

Help save the Planet!

 

[Silentwave]

If it was on your birthday, wouldn't it be exactly 59 years?


I, too, am sad that Pluto is no longer a planet.
I find it funny, though, that so many people show affection for a lifeless, tiny, distant rock.

I don't know what time of day they discovered it, and i wasn't sure if i got 59 right

 

[xsedrinam]

I don't know what time of day they discovered it, and i wasn't sure if i got 59 right

Hope you enjoy your 18th, next February. Maybe they'll "discover" another planet to replace the void.

 

[iTwitch]

Pluto might be on its way back.

http://www.livescience.com/blogs/2006/08/31/300-astronomers-wont-use-new-planet-definition/

 

[xsedrinam]

Pluto might be on its way back.

http://www.livescience.com/blogs/2006/08/31/300-astronomers-wont-use-new-planet-definition/

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