No, it's a meal.
Posted on 08/15/2006 8:40:00 PM PDT by Pyro7480
Not for the first time, but with new urgency in 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) impaneled a committee to define both the word "planet" and the status of Pluto.
Our committee -- seven in number, like the planets of old -- met at the Paris Observatory in late June and reached a unanimous agreement. In short: A planet is a body in orbit around a star (as opposed to orbiting another planet) and big enough for gravity to make it round. The full text of our proposed definition is being released today, to be discussed by astronomers from around the world, now in Prague at the IAU General Assembly, and voted upon next week. If approved, our resolution will not only leave Pluto in place but will also add "Xena" (2003 UB313) and Ceres to the current census of planets -- with room for additions as future discoveries warrant.
What's more, Pluto will lend its name to a newly defined category of planets -- the "plutons" -- which differ from the other planets by virtue of their highly inclined, elongated orbits, which take more than two centuries to complete and which suggest a different origin.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Ok, if the IAU approves the panel's recommendation it's now:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto-Charon, and "Xena"
Followed by "Gabrielle?" : )
Ping!!!
Uranus should be changed back to Urectum.
As for your list of planets, the Moon would also be one.
You either count all "round bodies" or take Pluto off the list.
Pluto probably should come off the list because it is just a Kuiper Belt object like most of the comets etc. However, the astronomy field would just face 1,000s of disappointed letters from kids if Pluto was taken off the list.
You're not the only one who thinks that way. There are a number of astronomers who think that way. As for your above observation, it isn't the case. As Ms. Sobel states,
A planet is a body in orbit around a star (as opposed to orbiting another planet)
And all of the planets' (the eight of them) moons, except for Mars', and some of the gas giants' smaller satellites.
If the IAU approves the committee's recommendation, Pluto, Charon, and "Xena" would be among the new group of planets: the "plutons." So you have inner terrestrial planets, the outer gas giants, and the "plutons."
On another thread, some freepers were stating that the Moon doesn't.
Heh... thanks! Excellent! I've been spending my precious on the clock minutes replying over in the oldie topic. ;')
Huh? What was your point?
I thought an article written by an actual committee member would be ideal (not to mention the fact that she is an excellent writer). She doesn't mention the Charon issue however, which the other articles on Google News do.
The other part was a question of whether the Moon revolves around Earth or not. Some freepers were stating the latter.
Those Freepers are wrong. The barycenter of the Earth-Luna system is inside the Earth, so it's not a double-planet.
Yes. "Xena" has a moon, and "Gabby" is the current nickname.
The Moon orbits the Earth. The Moon also spends part of its time slightly outside the Earth's sphere of influence, if memory serves. Its mass is about one per cent that of the Earth, and shows the same face to the Earth (probably) because of tidal transfer of its momentum to the Earth. Bodies in prograde orbits (orbits heading the same direction as the rotation of the parent body) gain altitude as the parent loses rotational momentum. Same goes for the other direction, which is why the Moon is in resonance.
No, it's a meal.
X-Planets ping!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.