Here is Breaking News... My gosh!! So, I have seen all the planets after all.
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/ ... index.html
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Pluto gets the boot
Pluto no longer a planet, say astronomers
Thursday, August 24, 2006 Posted: 1332 GMT (2132 HKT)
Leading astronomers have declared that Pluto is no longer a planet, approving new guidelines that downsize the solar system from nine planets to eight. The International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of the planetary status it has held since its discovery in 1930.
Pluto no longer a planet!! Down to 8.
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starfinder
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starfinder
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Here is a fuller report on this development.
It seems that Pluto was demoted because it is not massive enough to be a "planet", i.e.: one which "has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a ... nearly round shape..."
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/08/ ... undrum.php
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Pluto gets demoted as new planet definition is approved
The Associated Press
Published: August 23, 2006
PRAGUE, Czech Republic Leading astronomers declared Thursday that Pluto is no longer a planet under historic new guidelines that downsize the solar system from nine planets to eight.
After a tumultuous week of clashing over the essence of the cosmos, the International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of the planetary status it has held since its discovery in 1930. The new definition of what is — and isn't — a planet fills a centuries-old black hole for scientists who have labored since Copernicus without one.
Although astronomers applauded after the vote, Jocelyn Bell Burnell — a specialist in neutron stars from Northern Ireland who oversaw the proceedings — urged those who might be "quite disappointed" to look on the bright side.
"It could be argued that we are creating an umbrella called 'planet' under which the dwarf planets exist," she said, drawing laughter by waving a stuffed Pluto of Walt Disney fame beneath a real umbrella.
"Many more Plutos wait to be discovered," added Richard Binzel, a professor of planetary science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The decision by the prestigious international group spells out the basic tests that celestial objects will have to meet before they can be considered for admission to the elite cosmic club.
For now, membership will be restricted to the eight "classical" planets in the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Much-maligned Pluto doesn't make the grade under the new rules for a planet: "a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a ... nearly round shape, and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit."
Pluto is automatically disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune's.
Instead, it will be reclassified in a new category of "dwarf planets," similar to what long have been termed "minor planets." The definition also lays out a third class of lesser objects that orbit the sun — "small solar system bodies," a term that will apply to numerous asteroids, comets and other natural satellites.
Experts said there could be dozens of dwarf planets catalogued across the solar system in the next few years.
It was unclear how Pluto's demotion might affect the mission of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, which earlier this year began a 9 1/2-year journey to the oddball object to unearth more of its secrets.
The decision at a conference of 2,500 astronomers from 75 countries was a dramatic shift from just a week ago, when the group's leaders floated a proposal that would have reaffirmed Pluto's planetary status and made planets of its largest moon and two other objects.
That plan proved highly unpopular, splitting astronomers into factions and triggering days of sometimes combative debate that led to Pluto's undoing. In the end, only about 300 astronomers cast ballots.
Now, two of the objects that at one point were cruising toward possible full-fledged planethood will join Pluto as dwarfs: the asteroid Ceres, which was a planet in the 1800s before it got demoted, and 2003 UB313, an icy object slightly larger than Pluto whose discoverer, Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology, has nicknamed Xena.
Charon, the largest of Pluto's three moons, is no longer under consideration for any special designation.
Brown, who watched the proceedings from Cal Tech, took Thursday's vote in stride — even though his discovery won't be christened a planet.
"UB313 is the largest dwarf planet. That's kind of cool," he said.
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It seems that Pluto was demoted because it is not massive enough to be a "planet", i.e.: one which "has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a ... nearly round shape..."
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/08/ ... undrum.php
______________
Pluto gets demoted as new planet definition is approved
The Associated Press
Published: August 23, 2006
PRAGUE, Czech Republic Leading astronomers declared Thursday that Pluto is no longer a planet under historic new guidelines that downsize the solar system from nine planets to eight.
After a tumultuous week of clashing over the essence of the cosmos, the International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of the planetary status it has held since its discovery in 1930. The new definition of what is — and isn't — a planet fills a centuries-old black hole for scientists who have labored since Copernicus without one.
Although astronomers applauded after the vote, Jocelyn Bell Burnell — a specialist in neutron stars from Northern Ireland who oversaw the proceedings — urged those who might be "quite disappointed" to look on the bright side.
"It could be argued that we are creating an umbrella called 'planet' under which the dwarf planets exist," she said, drawing laughter by waving a stuffed Pluto of Walt Disney fame beneath a real umbrella.
"Many more Plutos wait to be discovered," added Richard Binzel, a professor of planetary science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The decision by the prestigious international group spells out the basic tests that celestial objects will have to meet before they can be considered for admission to the elite cosmic club.
For now, membership will be restricted to the eight "classical" planets in the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Much-maligned Pluto doesn't make the grade under the new rules for a planet: "a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a ... nearly round shape, and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit."
Pluto is automatically disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune's.
Instead, it will be reclassified in a new category of "dwarf planets," similar to what long have been termed "minor planets." The definition also lays out a third class of lesser objects that orbit the sun — "small solar system bodies," a term that will apply to numerous asteroids, comets and other natural satellites.
Experts said there could be dozens of dwarf planets catalogued across the solar system in the next few years.
It was unclear how Pluto's demotion might affect the mission of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, which earlier this year began a 9 1/2-year journey to the oddball object to unearth more of its secrets.
The decision at a conference of 2,500 astronomers from 75 countries was a dramatic shift from just a week ago, when the group's leaders floated a proposal that would have reaffirmed Pluto's planetary status and made planets of its largest moon and two other objects.
That plan proved highly unpopular, splitting astronomers into factions and triggering days of sometimes combative debate that led to Pluto's undoing. In the end, only about 300 astronomers cast ballots.
Now, two of the objects that at one point were cruising toward possible full-fledged planethood will join Pluto as dwarfs: the asteroid Ceres, which was a planet in the 1800s before it got demoted, and 2003 UB313, an icy object slightly larger than Pluto whose discoverer, Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology, has nicknamed Xena.
Charon, the largest of Pluto's three moons, is no longer under consideration for any special designation.
Brown, who watched the proceedings from Cal Tech, took Thursday's vote in stride — even though his discovery won't be christened a planet.
"UB313 is the largest dwarf planet. That's kind of cool," he said.
___
Don't think that's accurate. Pluto is round.It seems that Pluto was demoted because it is not massive enough to be a "planet", i.e.: one which "has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a ... nearly round shape..."
"Pluto is automatically disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune's. " Seems that pluto was disqualified because it had not "cleared the neighborhood around its orbit".
However, that seems to disqualify Neptune as well as it had not cleared its orbit of Pluto ! Hmm..
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Canopus Lim
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Hip Hip Hooray!!! This calls for a big celebration! *Opens champagne and sprays around* 8-) At least I now know that IAU astronomers are using more of their heads rather than plain cow sense. IAU deserves my respect, at least for now.starfinder wrote:For now, membership will be restricted to the eight "classical" planets in the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Well, dwarf planets or minor planets or plutons or plutinos or whatever crap you call them, they are still Kuiper Belt Objects as a matter of fact. Up there it is, my whole rock collections of KBOs, with Pluto included.starfinder wrote:Pluto is automatically disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune's.
Instead, it will be reclassified in a new category of "dwarf planets," similar to what long have been termed "minor planets."
Sure, dwarf planets are cool, for the illusive that is. Whatever it is, I can now confidently call a planet, a Planet… Now, isn’t that more cool?starfinder wrote:Brown, who watched the proceedings from Cal Tech, took Thursday's vote in stride — even though his discovery won't be christened a planet.
"UB313 is the largest dwarf planet. That's kind of cool," he said.
Cheers,
- ALPiNe
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Last edited by ALPiNe on Fri Aug 25, 2006 1:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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alvinsclee
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The kids used to learn the order of the planets using this mnemonic: "My Very Efficient Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas". I guess the new syllabus will now has it as: "My Very Enraged Mother Just Shouted Unspeakable Nonsense"... hahaha.mrngbss wrote:I really wish for Pluto to be around. What will happen to the Primary school science syllabus?
alvincslee: how are pri science teachers affected?
All because of Pluto's sudden 'disappearance' from the solar system today and hereafter, we primary school teachers have to re-mark the science exam scripts!
Last edited by alvinsclee on Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Airconvent
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Very sad day indeed for the astronomy world....
Instead of channeling their energies into unknown world beyond, bringing the frontier to our doorstep, the IAU has resorted to cheap thrills by wailing and screaming to get their way, playing with the definitions. Nothing has changed actually since the Planet Pluto still orbiting out there.
We have a new Horizon probe on route. By administratively removing Pluto, now they can claim to have visited all the planets in our solar system. So much energy channeled into a useless endeavour...sad....truly sad...
Instead of channeling their energies into unknown world beyond, bringing the frontier to our doorstep, the IAU has resorted to cheap thrills by wailing and screaming to get their way, playing with the definitions. Nothing has changed actually since the Planet Pluto still orbiting out there.
We have a new Horizon probe on route. By administratively removing Pluto, now they can claim to have visited all the planets in our solar system. So much energy channeled into a useless endeavour...sad....truly sad...
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