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.
In my opinion it will always be 9.
Donald and Mickey aren't going to be happy about this!
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.
http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/whatsaplanet/
"The text of the proposed definition will be released August 18th, and the vote will take place on August 24th. Until then we can only speculate on what the proposed definition might be."
Rethinking the Planets
Popular Science | January 2006 issue (I believe) | Michael Stroh
Posted on 12/28/2005 5:36:18 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1548344/posts
PLUTO'S A PLANET!!!
We now have 12 planets!
Solar system to welcome three new planets
12.00pm Wednesday August 16, 2006
By Steve Connor
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&ObjectID=10396493
This is a news leak?
How does it help Al Queda. It's got to somehow, either that or it's just damaging to Bush.
Yup, Republicans are about to lose the Plutonian vote.
So they're saying that Pluto can go to Hades?
Pluto is the only planet discovered by an American, a dead White male, at that. If Pluto had been discovered by an female Mayan peasant, his status in the planetary canon would be secure.
