NationStates Jolt Archive

Apparently Pluto will no more be a planet. So, one less planet for kids to learn.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5282440.stm

Yeah, saw that, poor little guy. There was cartoon yesterday, I think, showing someplanets around one table, others around another, and Pluto thinking, "Man, I hate having to sit at the little planets table!"

I disagree with their decision, I'm of the opinion that a third type of planet should be defined. Specifically call them Plutons, and they would include Pluto, Charon and that one without a name that the dork named Xena.

Apparently Pluto will no more be a planet. So, one less planet for kids to learn.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5282440.stm
So now we have a definition that depends on some vague concept of having 'cleared its neighbourhood'. I notice that the Earth doesn't seem to have done that very well, what with that rather large round object a light-second away, and the large number of comets and meteors that frequently cross our orbit.

So now we have a definition that depends on some vague concept of having 'cleared its neighbourhood'. I notice that the Earth doesn't seem to have done that very well, what with that rather large round object a light-second away, and the large number of comets and meteors that frequently cross our orbit.
Crossing and sharing the orbit are different things, and I think that's what they mean. We don't have anything else circling around the sun in our neighborhood.

Seems I heard it proposed once upon a time that Pluto is actually a moon of Neptune's that got loose somehow.

Crossing and sharing the orbit are different things, and I think that's what they mean.
There are also plenty of objects sharing the orbits of things that we'd like to call planets (such as Jupiter):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_asteroids

Poor Pluto...we should send him a carepackage, courtesy of NSG. Hopefully, that will make him feel a little better.

Pluto was automatically disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune's.

Does that not also disqualify Neptune for either sharing orbits or not "clearing it's neighborhood?

What about the other Earth we never get to see because it's at the other side of the Sun and is inhabited by nefarious dinosaur people? That still should count as a planet.

I had to grow up learning Pluto as a planet. These kids should suffer along with me as well.

What's this gonna be now? My very educated mother just sat upon... what? Sat upon what? Curse you!

Pluto has its own orbit around the sun. It may be small but planet it remains in my book. Not like its a moon or anything.

What's this gonna be now? My very educated mother just sat upon... what? Sat upon what? Curse you!

Sat upon Uranus? :D

Pluto has its own orbit around the sun. It may be small but planet it remains in my book. Not like its a moon or anything.


They call "dwarf planet", on the other side, Mercury isn't to big either so why not call that "dwarf" planet" to?

They call "dwarf planet", on the other side, Mercury isn't to big either so why not call that "dwarf" planet" to?

Apparently a "real" planet's orbit shouldn't cross anothers. Since Pluto is sometimes the eigth planet (or was) as it crossed in front of Neptune. A big no-no for planets. Silly to me.

you mean I just taught my kids all the planets and moons and crap and now I have to un-teach them one?:headbang:

I don't care what they say I will continue to call Pluto a planet. So there!

Apparently Pluto will no more be a planet. So, one less planet for kids to learn.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5282440.stm


Poor Pluto. Always the under dog. First it was being last in the planetary line up, now its being upstaged. I bet Pluto feels like George Bush addressing the UNGA...isolated and alone:D

Sat upon Uranus? :D

Er... I meant sat upon nine what, anyways. We'd need to U planets there. Although I suppose it could be, My Very Educated Mother Just sat upon Nigel.

Er... I meant sat upon nine what, anyways. We'd need to U planets there. Although I suppose it could be, My Very Educated Mother Just sat upon Nigel.

Ah, soory. Didn't know that english term :) It just seemed like a good time for a Uranus-joke :p

What's this gonna be now? My very educated mother just sat upon... what? Sat upon what? Curse you!
who cares?

Er... I meant sat upon nine what, anyways. We'd need to U planets there. Although I suppose it could be, My Very Educated Mother Just sat upon Nigel.
huh, we learned

"my very educated mother just served us nine pizzas"

I guess without pluto that pneumonic is now gluten free!!

"my very educated mother just served us nectarines"

nice. and healthier too!

good riddance. i never considered pluto to be a planet.

good riddance. i never considered pluto to be a planet.

Well, Pluto doesn't like you either. :p

How the hell do these so called scientists get to choose what and what isn't considered a planet? I think we need to contact the Gelgamecs (http://scorpio.lunarpages.com/~spscri2/Season6/GelgamekCardinal.jpg) on this... Nah forget about the Gelgamecs...

If it isn't a planet, what is it?

If it isn't a planet, what is it?

A moon I think

If it isn't a planet, what is it?

They call it at "dwarf planet", which will be a new category. Ceres and UB313 will be in the same category.

They call it at "dwarf planet", which will be a new category. Ceres and UB313 will be in the same category.

Thats just stupid

Dwarf = small

So it's a small planet. That doesn't stop it from being a planet!

Mickey is going to be pissed. :(

How the hell do these so called scientists get to choose what and what isn't considered a planet? I think we need to contact the Gelgamecs (http://scorpio.lunarpages.com/~spscri2/Season6/GelgamekCardinal.jpg) on this... Nah forget about the Gelgamecs...

The Gilgamec vagina is 3 feet long...lined with razor sharp teeth.

Mickey is going to be pissed. :(

*ROFL*

I just read the thread from the beginning and it took 3 pages for someone to mention Pluto being a cartoon dog! Maybe NS is full of sensible debaters after all (+1 lunatic:p )

Edit: bottom of 2nd page:)

I disagree with their decision, I'm of the opinion that a third type of planet should be defined. Specifically call them Plutons, and they would include Pluto, Charon and that one without a name that the dork named Xena.

And what happened to Quaoar and Sedna (http://www.opencourse.info/astronomy/introduction/21.planetary_systems/ssc2004-05c.jpg)?

Mickey is going to be pissed. :(

Well, he can have Goofy instead. Goofy is also a dog, nes pas?

And what happened to Quaoar and Sedna (http://www.opencourse.info/astronomy/introduction/21.planetary_systems/ssc2004-05c.jpg)?

i think they will be dwarf planets aswell or something like that

Ack! Why are they always picking on my planet? If I wanted to, I could point out that there are 4 enormous balls of gas that probably shouldn't be called planets because they don't have a solid rocky surface like real planets do. :(

Ack! Why are they always picking on my planet? If I wanted to, I could point out that there are 4 enormous balls of gas that probably shouldn't be called planets because they don't have a solid rocky surface like real planets do. :(

I guess they have better PR-departments...

Pluto shouldn't be called a planet because it's a Kuiper Belt object. Its orbit is highly eccentric and ellpitical, it doesn't even orbit in the plane of our solar system. It shoudln't really have anything to do with having cleared everything else out of it way... it should have to do with becoming a planet rather than a piece of space junk.

I guess they have better PR-departments...
Okay, first thing, we call a news conference, Pluto was abused when it was a planetoid, hypno-therapy just revealed these long-buried memories. Then Pluto enters rehab. Next, Pluto dates Julia Roberts, maybe a couple of months, they're just friends, nothing serious. Get the idea? In no time not only will Pluto be a planet again, it'll be up for a People's Choice Award for the Best Comeback By A Celestial Body.

Pluto is just a big snowball.

However, some moons need to be upgraded. Luna (our moon) is realy a small planet. Io is also a planet. Titan, too. As you can see the list is too long to post.

Pluto's still a planet to me no matter what some fancy egg heads say

This ones for Pluto: :fluffle:

They're saying that it's a moon that broke away from Neptune?

Poor Pluto... All those centuries of effort to declare itself independent from the opression of the Gas Giants and Science turns around and belittle it!

Fight the Oppression Pluto!!!

Actually, they made it new paramaters for a planet and not only is pluto a planet agian, but two other comets have made the cut.

My elementary school was named after the man who found Pluto. That however has nothing to do with my support of this resolution.

Actually, they made it new paramaters for a planet and not only is pluto a planet agian, but two other comets have made the cut.News changes. You know that right?

As you can see, Pluto didn't take the news well...


http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/1127/plutorb1.png (http://imageshack.us)


A spokesman said that Pluto was taken to a local veterinary clinic, where he is being kept under observation. His condition is listed as stable.

I feel a song coming on.....

MY LOVELY PLUTO

My lovely Pluto running through the solar system,
Where are you going with your orbit blowing in the solar wind?
I want to shower you with comets,
And ride to you in a planetery probe,
Polish your icefields every single day,
And bring to you a planet doctor,

My lovely Pluto,
You're a planet no more,
Running around with Charon on your back,
Like a train in the night,
Like a train in the night.


(with apologies to Fr. Ted Crilly and Fr. Dougal Maguire)

OMFG, the evil Muslims stole Pluto! :p

I wonder if Sailor Pluto has lost her powers now that her planet is no longer a planet?


.... WHAT?! Someone had to say it... ;)

Good, I stopped accepting Pluto as a planet within the last year. Good to see it finally settled. It'll be great to show the mistaken books to my grandkids.

Good, I stopped accepting Pluto as a planet within the last year. Good to see it finally settled. It'll be great to show the mistaken books to my grandkids.
We need to develop the Death Star, and do some landscaping. You know, neaten up the Solar System a bit, removing the planets, asteroids, and other things that annoy us.

I wonder if Sailor Pluto has lost her powers now that her planet is no longer a planet?


.... WHAT?! Someone had to say it... ;)
I forget: Is Sailor Pluto that weird green-haired one with the gigantic key?

Just a warning:
http://ahom.ru/uploads/2006/august/ahom-ru_20060823_700x529_pluton_11.jpg

Just a warning:
http://ahom.ru/uploads/2006/august/ahom-ru_20060823_700x529_pluton_11.jpg
Simultaneously awesome and horrifying. If Pluto were to actually collide with Earth...well, I think we can safely say that all life would be eliminated, at least, if not the entire planet split in two.

Simultaneously awesome and horrifying. If Pluto were to actually collide with Earth...well, I think we can safely say that all life would be eliminated, at least, if not the entire planet split in two.
Pluto's not sayin' it will, it's not sayin' it won't. Just that if we knew what was good for us, we might not want to go callin' things asteroids unless we're willin' to deal with consiquences.

That's all Pluto is sayin'...

Haven't a lot of planets failed to clear their orbits?
At the very least, Neptune has failed to clear its orbit of Pluto.
It's had plenty of time, y'know. If it could, it would have.
Now, since there are only three planets larger then Neptune, I'd assume that none of the remaining planets could clear their orbits of Pluto either, if it came up.
So, the only three planets are Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus.
Of course, nobody but Neptune has Pluto in its orbit either, so nobody but Neptune has failed to clear Pluto out yet.
They would if they tried though.
By the way, shouldn't they just add the dwarf planets to the normal list?
What's the point of having a "dwarf" planet? It seems kinda arbitrary.

I disagree with their decision, I'm of the opinion that a third type of planet should be defined. Specifically call them Plutons, and they would include Pluto, Charon and that one without a name that the dork named Xena.
That 'dork' was the guy that discovered it.
Perhaps when you discover a new planet, you can throw names at others.

Also, fyi, the name 'Xena' was just one of the many nicknames they had made up for their discoveries, just to help them remember each object. It was never intended to be the official name, but it just stuck when the information was released publicly.

Simultaneously awesome and horrifying. If Pluto were to actually collide with Earth...well, I think we can safely say that all life would be eliminated, at least, if not the entire planet split in two.
Well, that's where the moon came from. A Mars-sized planetoid collided with us a few billion years ago. The resulting debri became the moon.

Well, that's where the moon came from. A Mars-sized planetoid collided with us a few billion years ago. The resulting debri became the moon.
Of that I am fully aware. But I am also aware that was only possible due to the young state of Earth at the time. Were Pluto or a similar sized body to collide with Earth now, I doubt it would have the same semi-beneficial results.

Well, that's where the moon came from. A Mars-sized planetoid collided with us a few billion years ago. The resulting debri became the moon.
That's becuase Ming the Merciless can't drive for shit...[/extra dated nerd humor...]

I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Orbiting in outerspace, all they are is dust far away.
Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do, crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see

Orbiting in outerspace, all they are is dust far away.

[Now] Don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away, and all your money won't another minute buy.

Orbiting in outerspace, all they are is dust far away.
Orbiting in outerspace, all they are is dust far away.




*shrugs*

http://sorrypluto.ytmnd.com/

My Very Earnest Mother Just Served Us Nine.

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK!!!!

WHAT DO WE DO?!?!?!

:(

I wonder how many pro-Pluto astronomers cried at the news.

http://sorrypluto.ytmnd.com/
Highly amusing. Did you make that?

no pluto nooo

2020 kid looks at old planet map dad what that last one
"oh that pluto"said dad
"whats pluto"ask kid
"a planet"said dad
" never heared of it"said kid

Of that I am fully aware. But I am also aware that was only possible due to the young state of Earth at the time. Were Pluto or a similar sized body to collide with Earth now, I doubt it would have the same semi-beneficial results.

Sure it would.

Haven't a lot of planets failed to clear their orbits?
At the very least, Neptune has failed to clear its orbit of Pluto.
It's had plenty of time, y'know. If it could, it would have.
Now, since there are only three planets larger then Neptune, I'd assume that none of the remaining planets could clear their orbits of Pluto either, if it came up.
So, the only three planets are Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus.
Of course, nobody but Neptune has Pluto in its orbit either, so nobody but Neptune has failed to clear Pluto out yet.
They would if they tried though.
By the way, shouldn't they just add the dwarf planets to the normal list?
What's the point of having a "dwarf" planet? It seems kinda arbitrary.

I actually laughed out loud at this. Thanks.

Oh and as far as "dwarf" planets go the name wont stick. In a decade they will be radius challenged planets and the decade after that they will be growth delayed planets until they form a giant coalition with the asteroids and comets to become the mass scattered planet alliance.

Just a thought as to the "Neptune hasn't cleared its' own orbit" issue (I'm no astronomer, so someone with more expertise would need to address this) but might the fact that Pluto's orbit is outside the main orbital plane of the solar system mean that it never in fact crosses the path of Neptune's orbit?

In other words, visualise two interlocking oval rings; you can't lay them flat against each other without having them touch each other, but if you hold them at an angle to each other they can interlock without touching.

As I said, just a thought....

Just a thought as to the "Neptune hasn't cleared its' own orbit" issue (I'm no astronomer, so someone with more expertise would need to address this) but might the fact that Pluto's orbit is outside the main orbital plane of the solar system mean that it never in fact crosses the path of Neptune's orbit?

In other words, visualise two interlocking oval rings; you can't lay them flat against each other without having them touch each other, but if you hold them at an angle to each other they can interlock without touching.

As I said, just a thought....

They miss by a billion miles

I wonder if Sailor Pluto has lost her powers now that her planet is no longer a planet?


.... WHAT?! Someone had to say it... ;)

No, not really. Nobody had to say it. :p

:(

I wonder how many pro-Pluto astronomers cried at the news.
It does seem to be causing quite a row in the astronomical community:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5283956.stm

*shoves pluto out of the planet books then says "dont come back"*

I for one congratulate the experts of the IAU on their decision.
Following scientific principles and changing things when new information is available is exactly what science does, so I don't mind our solar sysem having one planet less and three dwarf planets in addition.

As for all the little buggers having to relearn our solar system - screw'em! I was never fond of those school projects which have always been so out of scale it's not even funny anymore (and gives the kids way more stupid ideas and impressions about our solar system than it does them any good!).

Pluto's still a planet to me no matter what some fancy egg heads say

This ones for Pluto: :fluffle:
That's what many said about Ceres last century.

Once again proving Science is a sham!

Once again proving Science is a sham!
http://www.studip.uni-goettingen.de/pictures/smile/nerd.gif Wha?

http://www.studip.uni-goettingen.de/pictures/smile/nerd.gif Wha?
Science is one big lie that convieniently gets changed everytime they prove themselves wrong, heck even when they don't get drunk in Prague act all high and mighty and change things on a whim.

I for one congratulate the experts of the IAU on their decision.
Following scientific principles and changing things when new information is available is exactly what science does, so I don't mind our solar sysem having one planet less and three dwarf planets in addition.
This definition is hardly scientific:

One of the three criteria for planethood states that a planet must have "cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit". The largest objects in the Solar System will either aggregate material in their path or fling it out of the way with a gravitational swipe.

Pluto was disqualified because its highly elliptical orbit overlaps with that of Neptune.

But Dr Stern pointed out that Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Neptune have also not fully cleared their orbital zones. Earth orbits with 10,000 near-Earth asteroids. Jupiter, meanwhile, is accompanied by 100,000 Trojan asteroids on its orbital path.

These rocks are all essentially chunks of rubble left over from the formation of the Solar System more than four billion years ago.

"If Neptune had cleared its zone, Pluto wouldn't be there," he added.

This definition is hardly scientific:

Not to mention the occasional comet. Maybe there are no planets! :eek:

I for one congratulate the experts of the IAU on their decision.
Following scientific principles and changing things when new information is available is exactly what science does, so I don't mind our solar sysem having one planet less and three dwarf planets in addition.
It wasn't really following scientific principles, at least not as science is understood. This is simply a convention to agree on what to call stuff. Before now there was no convention on what constituted a planet, and so anything of a certain size could be a planet. It wasn't a problem until they started discovering really big Kuiper objects and realized that there could be dozens of the things.

So they formalized the definition before things got out of hand. But it's simply a definition by convention, not by scientific principle.

Science is one big lie that convieniently gets changed everytime they prove themselves wrong, heck even when they don't get drunk in Prague act all high and mighty and change things on a whim.
Duh! That's the definition of science. What? Would you like it better if it held on to wrong theories even after they've been proven wrong and useless?

It's not religion, you know.

Not to mention the occasional comet. Maybe there are no planets! :eek:

Mayby we live in a fantasyworld controlled by machines? And the program controlling pluto is malfunctioning so they have to reprogram the world we see?

The plus side is, now Pluto is what everyone is talking about. Right now, my namesake is getting more press than those overgrown gas giants that think they're so big (not that I'm jealous, mind you).

Mayby we live in a fantasyworld controlled by machines? And the program controlling pluto is malfunctioning so they have to reprogram the world we see?

Machines? Ha! It's those damn dirty apes again! :mad:

It wasn't really following scientific principles, at least not as science is understood. This is simply a convention to agree on what to call stuff. Before now there was no convention on what constituted a planet, and so anything of a certain size could be a planet. It wasn't a problem until they started discovering really big Kuiper objects and realized that there could be dozens of the things.
What's wrong with there being dozens of planets? If that's what a consistent definition entails, so be it. You don't hear people complaing that Jupiter has too many moons and that we shoudl redefine 'moon' so that only the Galilean moons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galilean_moons) counnt.

This is just the beginning: next, they're going to decide that Plutonium and all the elements after it are no longer elements: They'll be in a new group designated as "Obese elements", since they're all way too fat to really be useful to the rest of the periodic table.

What's wrong with there being dozens of planets? If that's what a consistent definition entails, so be it. You don't hear people complaing that Jupiter has too many moons and that we shoudl redefine 'moon' so that only the Galilean moons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galilean_moons) counnt.
Nothing wrong. At the end the issue presented to the astronomers can be summed up as "Do you want dozens of planets or do you want more categories for celestial bodies?"

At the end they voted for more categories. They simply feel this would make their job easier. It doesn't alter the nature of the bodies at all, which I suspect have absolutely no interest in what we call them.

Moons are different because their deffinition is much better established. If they orbit a planet, they're a moon. If they orbit something else that's not a planet, they're a twin-whatever.

At the end they voted for more categories. They simply feel this would make their job easier. It doesn't alter the nature of the bodies at all, which I suspect have absolutely no interest in what we call them.



True enough. Pluto is still the same size as it was when it was a "real" planet. Its orbit is the same, and even though we didn't know about the "Kuiper Belt" when I was in school, I'm reasonably sure it was still there back then.

True enough. Pluto is still the same size as it was when it was a "real" planet. Its orbit is the same, and even though we didn't know about the "Kuiper Belt" when I was in school, I'm reasonably sure it was still there back then.

I am sure it must have gotten smaller, being reduced to one of the seven dwarf planets, and all...

My Very Earnest Mother Just Served Us Nine.

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK!!!!

WHAT DO WE DO?!?!?!
stop these silly wordgames, perhaps?

Good, I stopped accepting Pluto as a planet within the last year. Good to see it finally settled. It'll be great to show the mistaken books to my grandkids.
at least someone agrees with me that pluto is just a rock.

http://plutoasplode.ytmnd.com/

at least someone agrees with me that pluto is just a rock.



Actually, it's mostly ice -- frozen methane, and the like.

This definition is hardly scientific:

On the contrary - the definition is fairly scientific... it requires that the body termed a 'planet' must dominate it's orbit.

Clearly - Jupiter 'dominates' it's orbit - even if it shares that orbit with other material, that material is forced to accomodate the planet... look at the distributionm curve for material in Jupiter's orbit and you will see it centres on a point in advance of, and another point in pursuit of, Jupiter.

Jupiter has reshaped the distribution, to form two basic 'clouds' of material. Jupiter clearly 'dominates' it's orbit.

Nothing wrong. At the end the issue presented to the astronomers can be summed up as "Do you want dozens of planets or do you want more categories for celestial bodies?"

At the end they voted for more categories. They simply feel this would make their job easier. It doesn't alter the nature of the bodies at all, which I suspect have absolutely no interest in what we call them.

Moons are different because their deffinition is much better established. If they orbit a planet, they're a moon. If they orbit something else that's not a planet, they're a twin-whatever.

The introduction of new categorisation actually enables a better knowledge of our solar system to be taught in a straight-forward manner.

The new categorisation shows, at a glance, that we can expect similar properties from 8 of the solar bodies, and another set of largely similar properties from an increasing number of 'lesser' luminaries

Like bodies can now be grouped... it is as logical as the revision of the Periodic Table to group elements with similar properties together.

Duh! That's the definition of science. What? Would you like it better if it held on to wrong theories even after they've been proven wrong and useless?

It's not religion, you know.
Which is why it is a sham.

That's becuase Ming the Merciless can't drive for shit...[/extra dated nerd humor...]
I match your dated nerd humour and raise:
Flash a-ah
Savior of the Universe
Flash
He'll save everyone of us
Flash a-ah
He's a miracle
Flash
King of the impossible

My Very Earnest Mother Just Served Us Nine.

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK!!!!

WHAT DO WE DO?!?!?!
How about:
My Very Earnest Mother Just Served Us Nachos

That works.

Far easier to remember than
My Very Earnest Corpulent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas eXcessively.

Which is why it is a sham.
Sure, kid, it sure is.

:eek: Pluto was blown up?:(

:eek: Pluto was blown up?:(

Yes. We finally got the Death Star up and running.

Poor Pluto. Always the under dog. First it was being last in the planetary line up, now its being upstaged. I bet Pluto feels like George Bush addressing the UNGA...isolated and alone:D

Always some smartass making everything a political issue.

And for the record, President Bush was NOT alone in 2003, and the US won UN approval for acting against Iraq. Back to school for you, genius.

Yes. We finally got the Death Star up and running.

I thought they aimed for Mondas and missed. Great, we still have those megalomaniacal tin men to deal with.

I thought they aimed for Mondas and missed. Great, we still have those megalomaniacal tin men to deal with.
That's okay, we'll just throw rich people at them, and hope their gold clogs up the Cybermen's respirators.

Once there was 9 planets then there was 10 planets, now we are back nine for pluto losing its planetary status.
They were trying to say at first there was 12. One in Asteriod belt(which is just a big asteriod), then Charon(which is plutos moon, but i bet pluto is Charon's moon), then the official 10th planet would be Xena, but now its the new nineth planet.

Hey i dont know if Xena is out there how we know they arent crazy and seeing things lol.

But the definition that would make 12 planets in our solar system, was shit i cant remember it all i know it was basically saying the moons were planets too.

They should've just left it one for the sake of seniority. The most irritating aspect of this ever is the destruction of the initialisms.

My Very Elegant Mother Just Served Us Nine? Nine what? :headbang:

Me? im still waiting for someone to make a UN resolution declaring Pluto a planet. i'd do it, but my nation just aint big enough yet.

if some does, it be nice to be refered to in it...
;)

On the contrary - the definition is fairly scientific... it requires that the body termed a 'planet' must dominate it's orbit.

Clearly - Jupiter 'dominates' it's orbit - even if it shares that orbit with other material, that material is forced to accomodate the planet... look at the distributionm curve for material in Jupiter's orbit and you will see it centres on a point in advance of, and another point in pursuit of, Jupiter.

Jupiter has reshaped the distribution, to form two basic 'clouds' of material. Jupiter clearly 'dominates' it's orbit.
The problem is, the definition is not that it dominates its orbit, its that it's cleared its orbit. Since the trojan asteroids are still in Jupiter's orbit it hasn't cleared its orbit yet.
Thus, Jupiter isn't a planet.

I can't get used to it. Eight planets in the solar system...
There goes twenty-one years of "the nine planets". To me, Pluto will sit with the others, even though the astronomers who know a lot more about it than I do disagree.

Hay, does the IAU have a public forum ware we can point out the flaws in the new standerds? I'm all for demoting pluto, but the new standerds are flawed as has been pointed out in every forum I've visited.
I say the gas giants shout get promoted to proto stars. I mean, just make Jupiter 70% bigger and it'd be a small star (and I mean full star and not just a proto star).

The problem is, the definition is not that it dominates its orbit, its that it's cleared its orbit. Since the trojan asteroids are still in Jupiter's orbit it hasn't cleared its orbit yet.
Thus, Jupiter isn't a planet.

Actually - the definition seems to be open to a degree of interpretation:

"It must also be large enough that its gravity pulls it into a roughly spherical shape. In addition, the world must dominate its orbit, clearing away other objects. It's on this last point that Pluto fails: its highly elliptical orbit overlaps with that of the much bigger Neptune.

There are a number of ways this can be interpreted... either there is a minimum size of material that counts as 'cleared'... (maybe a minimum size in proportion to the body itself, not inclusive of moon-type bodies?) or, perhaps it is not necessary to entirely empty the orbit to count as 'dominating' or 'clearing' it?

As in the example of Jupiter's Trojan material - it occupies spaces before and behind the planet... but not the area around the planet... perhaps that is 'clear' enough.

When one looks at it objectively - with the need for a roughly circular orbit, Pluto is on the ropes anyway. Add to that the fact that it crosses Neptunes orbit - and you find yourself trying to decide which is the more 'planety'... and Pluto loses.

Pluto will always be a planet in my book.

Pluto will always be a planet in my book.

To be honest - I was never really happy with it. I always felt the 'rules' were a little indiscriminate.

I welcome an attempt to bring some form of structure to the study of the universe.

To be honest - I was never really happy with it. I always felt the 'rules' were a little indiscriminate.

I welcome an attempt to bring some form of structure to the study of the universe.

Tsk. Your logic, and calls for scientific righteousness and objectivity hold no sway over my very emotive response of unwavering love for Pluto. I will stand behind my poor, misunderstood frozen hunk of rock with an elliptical orbit until the end. For no other reason than nostalgy is necessary. :D

Sure, kid, it sure is.

Great!

They should've just left it one for the sake of seniority. The most irritating aspect of this ever is the destruction of the initialisms.

My Very Elegant Mother Just Served Us Nine? Nine what? :headbang:

That only needs a minor adjustment:

"My Very Elegant Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas (Deepdish)"

Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto (Dwarf!)

Or if you buy the new "eight planets" paradigm, there's this:

My Very Exotic Mistress Just Showed Up Nude :D

But really, I don't think the matter is quite settled yet, if for no other reason than only about 300 members of the IAU out of 2500 actually showed up and voted on the issue. Personally I think the "twelve planets" proposal made more sense. And any body that's roughly spherical, doesn't orbit another planet and has three other bodies orbiting it is a planet, for heaven's sake!

Oh man. I almost took a spit-take there New Mitanni. That's classic.

Pluto will always be a planet in my book.

Well, of course. Unless you use white-out or something.

Pluto be my homeboy.

They should've just left it one for the sake of seniority. The most irritating aspect of this ever is the destruction of the initialisms.

My Very Elegant Mother Just Served Us Nine? Nine what? :headbang:
I've never heard that one; we always said 'My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Naming Planets'. I would work on a new one, but I suspect that after next year's IAU meeting we'll be up to 12 planets.

Which is why it is a sham.

Yeah man. It's all one big sham. I completly agree. This whole internet thing-a-ma-jig? One big illusion. The laws of physics? Completly arbutrary. Hell, I'd reckon that the sun revolves around US. I mean, look at it (I doubt you'll go blind, that's that damned science again)!

DAMN THE GOVERNMENT FOR LYING TO US ABOUT HOW THE MICROWAVE WORKS.