Posted on 08/13/2006 5:58:09 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
News leaks about the planet definition began to spout late this week, as the authors prepared to present a draft resolution to the IAU's executive committee Sunday in Prague. The IAU is the official arbiter of all issues related to astronomical nomenclature. In a story that aired Thursday, unnamed sources told National Public Radio the proposed definition would include Pluto in a new class of small planets. A source also told the Rocky Mountain News on Thursday that a member of the seven-person definition panel said Pluto will remain a planet. IAU Vice President Bob Williams described the reports as "interesting speculation" but would neither confirm nor deny them... Esposito's solar system would contain eight planets. Pluto, the faint, far-off iceball discovered by U.S. astronomer Clyde Tombaugh in 1930, would not make the cut. Same for the rest of the Kuiper Belt and all the asteroids, rocky bodies that orbit the sun between Mars and Jupiter... If pressed, Esposito said he would be willing to grant Pluto - but no other Kuiper Belt Objects or asteroids - planethood due to "historical error."
(Excerpt) Read more at rockymountainnews.com ...
Pluto Could Lose Planet Status
PhysOrg.com | 21 June 2006 | Staff
Posted on 06/22/2006 7:11:12 AM EDT by PatrickHenry
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1653562/posts
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"To Pluto And Far Beyond" By David H. Levy, Parade, January 15, 2006 -- We don't have a dictionary definition yet that includes all the contingencies. In the wake of the new discovery, however, the International Astronomical Union has set up a group to develop a workable definition of planet. For our part, in consultation with several experienced planetary astronomers, Parade offers this definition: A planet is a body large enough that, when it formed, it condensed under its own gravity to be shaped like a sphere. It orbits a star directly and is not a moon of another planet. |
I wonder what Esposito's view is about the smaller moons of, say, Jupiter, or of Saturn (since he's involved with the Cassini mission) -- are they not moons? Not true moons, because they're not big enough? He needs to be slapped around for a half hour or so.
Pluto is a dog, but just what the H is Goofy anyway?
"Ruh Roh"
In my opinion it will always be 9.
Very appropriate tagline. ;')
Donald and Mickey aren't going to be happy about this!
PatrickHenry: Uranus seems secure.
That isn't the Parade definition, and I'm not an apologist.
Whoops, my error. So, I guess you believe there are only 8 planets then?
So that excludes Earth's Moon, and includes Ceres, Vesta, Pluto, and Charon.
A planet is a body large enough that, when it formed, it condensed under its own gravity to be shaped like a sphere. It orbits a star directly and is not a moon of another planet.There are at least ten planets. Pluto is a spheroid (as is the Earth), orbits a star directly, and isn't the moon of another planet. Charon, by contrast, orbits Pluto, as do at least two other moons, so Charon and the other two moons are not planets.
Well, the Pluto-Charon system has its barycenter outside of both bodies, so it could be argued that the Pluto-Charon system is a double-planet, while Nix and Hydra orbit the two.
http://www.iau.org/IAU/FAQ/PlutoPR.html
THE IAU WEBSITE WILL NOT BE ACCESSIBLE ON AUGUST 18-21
During that period, to remain informed of the News from our General Assembly in Prague, please save now these 2 links:
IAU GA Website
http://www.astronomy2006.com/
News from IAU XXVIth General Assembly
http://www.iau2006.org/
http://www.astronomy2006.com/planet-definition.php
Astronomy 2006
Planet Definition
The ongoing work on an IAU Resolution to scientifically define the meaning of the concept „planet“ is of particular interest to the public.
The IAU is the arbiter of planetary and satellite nomenclature since its inception in 1919. The boundary between planets and other solar system objects has never been defined and the recent discoveries of new objects in the solar system has made it necessary for the IAU to address this issue.
The decision process and a draft Resolution for the Definition of a Planet will be published in the conference newspaper during the first week of the General Assembly.
The IAU Executive Committee invites the General Assembly to a Plenary Discussion on the Definition of a Planet issue:
Tuesday, August 22, 12:45 - 13:45 in the Congress Hall.
The press is invited to attend.
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