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#1
08-20-2006, 09:42 PM
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So, what is a planet?
Many of you know that the International Astronomical Union is meeting right now, and on Thursday, they are going to vote on a new definition of the world "planet." The recent (in the last 10-15 years) discovery of lots of Pluto- and almost-Pluto -sized objects in the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune. All of the eight classical planets (Mercury to Neptune) will maintain their status, but Pluto is not nearly as secure.
The currently drafted plan (planet = anything round and more than 800km across that orbits the sun) keeps Pluto as a planet and adds Chiron (Pluto's biggest moon, to be added because of its orbit around Pluto) Ceres (the biggest asteroid in the asteroid belt) 2003 UB313 (farther from the sun than Pluto and a hair larger) On top of all that, there are a bunch of other things that may or may not be classified as planets, depending on what else astronomers find out about them. Most of them have just numbers for names, so far. CNN article Space.com article Caltech article What does the Lounge think? As icky as its name is, 2003 UB313 is bigger than Pluto, and orbiting the sun, so it seems silly not to include it. I doubt many people would want to change their idea of the solar system, though. 
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#2
08-20-2006, 09:51 PM
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Re: So, what is a planet?
I really don't have a strong care either way, but I would rather see Pluto go away than add those three from that definition. I also don't mind the 9 there are now, if only because that's how it's been for years. I'm not sure whether I'd want it to stay the same or drop Pluto, though.
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#4
08-20-2006, 10:19 PM
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Re: So, what is a planet?
[ QUOTE ]
Wait, if Charon is to be classified as a planet, why not Luna or Titan, both of which are much, much bigger? [/ QUOTE ] I think because Pluto and Charon would be classified as a binary planet, where Luna or Titan are clearly moons.
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#5
08-20-2006, 10:42 PM
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Re: So, what is a planet?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] Wait, if Charon is to be classified as a planet, why not Luna or Titan, both of which are much, much bigger? [/ QUOTE ] I think because Pluto and Charon would be classified as a binary planet, where Luna or Titan are clearly moons. [/ QUOTE ] Ah. Was that in one of the linked articles? I only read the caltech one.
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#6
08-20-2006, 10:49 PM
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Re: So, what is a planet?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Wait, if Charon is to be classified as a planet, why not Luna or Titan, both of which are much, much bigger? [/ QUOTE ] I think because Pluto and Charon would be classified as a binary planet, where Luna or Titan are clearly moons. [/ QUOTE ] Ah. Was that in one of the linked articles? I only read the caltech one. [/ QUOTE ] I'm not sure, I heard it sometime in the last couple days. Just verified it with Wikipedia.
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#7
08-20-2006, 10:47 PM
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Re: So, what is a planet?
I want this settled right now!
#1. Pluto and Charon: Whichever is bigger is the planet. Call the other a moon, darn it! We are NOT having any double planets in this solar system! #2. Add 2003 UB313 if it is larger than the larger of #1, and give it a decent name!!! Geez! #3. Ceres: No! It is an asteroid! #4. No way any of those other pretenders are getting in this planet club, period. #5. 10 planets! 10 is a good number, a very gooood number! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
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#8
08-26-2006, 12:14 PM
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Re: So, what is a planet?
Okay. Based on what has happened, I think we should go ahead and throw Mercury into the sun and live with 7 planets. If we are going to be snobbish about it we might as well go the rest of the way. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]
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