So, are we in a 12 planet Solor System?

[Cheetah]

After having received inputs from many sides -- especially the geological community -- the term "Pluton" is no longer being considered.

But I just watched BBC World and they used the term "Pluton" quite a bit.

Can someone confirm or discard that "Pluton" is not going to be used?

 

[Marla_Singer]

(2) A dwarf planet is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape(II), (c) has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit, and (d) is not a satellite.

I'm not an astronomist but doesn't (a) implies (d) ?

 

[JoeM]

No, because all the objects in the system orbit the sun.

 

[North King]

Is there something I'm not getting here? They say they've demoted Pluto because it has failed to clear its surrounding orbit. But technically, since Pluto's orbit overlaps with Neptune, doesn't that mean that Neptune, too, has failed to clear its orbit?

 

[Marla_Singer]

No, because all the objects in the system orbit the sun.

Then, shouldn't this clarification also been made for a classical planet(I), or does the fact it has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit mean they aren't satellite ?

By the way, what is meant by "having cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit" ? Does that mean that its orbit isn't influenced by other bodies ? Or does that mean that bodies around it are stable ? Well, once again I'm not an astronomist so I simply ask...

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

Hang on, a dwarf planet? Where's the PC mongerers? Surely Pluto should be a "vertically-challenged" planet?

 

[Winner]

Looks like the astronomers didn't fall to the political games of certain people. I salute their decision

 

[JoeM]

Then, shouldn't this clarification also been made for a classical planet(I), or does the fact it has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit mean they aren't satellite.

Implicitly yes.

 

[kryszcztov]

I find it nice that such a bunch of old people were able to change the definition after a first one had passed into the media. Just for that, I'm happy with that.

But I still have to understand this new definition : what does "has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit" really mean ??

On the geek side, I'm fine with those 8 real planets, and if scientific terms lead to that (without arbitrary limits in size and mass ), then perfect !

On the Greek side (Greco-Roman), too bad that Jupiter and Neptune are giant gas planets whereas their brother Pluto is just a dwarf planet. But we've known that for half a century, so no suprise here.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

Yep, and feminists must find offensive to see Rea as a tiny satellite of his huge husband.

 

[Lithgon]

Mary Virginia eats many jam sandwiches under Ned's Porch.
Now it has to be...
Mary Virginia eats many jam sandwiches under Ned

 

[Winner]

I find it nice that such a bunch of old people were able to change the definition after a first one had passed into the media. Just for that, I'm happy with that.

But I still have to understand this new definition : what does "has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit" really mean ??

It means it is massive enough to clear the trash near its orbit.

 

[Perfection]

They used my definition with only minor variation!

 

[The Last Conformist]

Is there something I'm not getting here? They say they've demoted Pluto because it has failed to clear its surrounding orbit. But technically, since Pluto's orbit overlaps with Neptune, doesn't that mean that Neptune, too, has failed to clear its orbit?

Pluto is Neptune's orbital biyatch.

The word "clear" may be a bit unfortunate; what they mean is that the body gravitationally controls the area. There's alot of stuff around Neptune's orbit, but it's all gravitationally controlled by Neptune, either being captured outright, or forced into trojan or resonant orbits. Pluto's in the last category.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

They used my definition with only minor variation!

Yeah, yeah, live it up. We'll see who's laughing when they come after Uranus.

 

[Winner]

Don't be sad, maybe in few decades, they'll find Nemesis and with some luck, it won't be a brown dwarf

 

[Perfection]

The word "clear" may be a bit unfortunate; what they mean is that the body gravitationally controls the area. There's alot of stuff around Neptune's orbit, but it's all gravitationally controlled by Neptune, either being captured outright, or forced into trojan or resonant orbits. Pluto's in the last category.

Yeah, that's why my definition which is a little more complex I view is better, but it's a small quibble as any planet will remove just about everything in its orbital path except at it's L4 and L5 points.

 

[Masquerouge]

So 8 instead of 12, eh? Let's see if that decision by a scientific body is actually applied in real life. Just like the metric system

 

[warpus]

It was never a planet, come on, the only reason it was even considered a planet was because when it was first discovered the guy screwed up and thought it was the same size as earth. I've found things at the back of my freezer bigger than pluto

I guess the rhyme is now different,

My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us Nine

Nine? NINE WHAT??? ARGH TELL ME!!!

My vietnamese etymologist made jesus slay unmutilated narwhales

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Don't be sad, maybe in few decades, they'll find Nemesis and with some luck, it won't be a brown dwarf

Yeah but then they'll take a vote and call it a 'differently sized planet of color'.