One of the planets has been eliminated

[ylexot]

Astronomers say Pluto is not a planet

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.
...
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.

Ok, my question is if Pluto is eliminated because it's orbit overlaps with Neptune's (violates the "cleared the neighborhood around its orbit" part of the definition), wouldn't that also eliminate Neptune since Neptune has not cleared Pluto out of it's neighborhood?

 

[hvp05]

Wow, this is popular.

 

[ylexot]

Dammit! I wish people would make titles that relate to the topic in some way.

 

[desertrat]

Astronomers say Pluto is not a planet Ok, my question is if Pluto is eliminated because it's orbit overlaps with Neptune's (violates the "cleared the neighborhood around its orbit" part of the definition), wouldn't that also eliminate Neptune since Neptune has not cleared Pluto out of it's neighborhood?

I don't accept their decision. I was taught 9 planets and nine planets it will always be to me. What's next " well there's not really any gravity, the earth just sucks"?

 

[chernmax]

So does that mean Dart Vaders Death Star is still at it???

 

[FancyBelle]

Won't this piss off the guys on Pluto as well? It's bad enough half the earth is mad at us, now we'll have people on other planets mad at us too!

 

[ylexot]

Won't this piss off the guys on Pluto as well? It's bad enough half the earth is mad at us, now we'll have people on other planets mad at us too!

Well, it happened in the Czech Republic, but I'm sure George Bush will be blamed for it!

 

[hvp05]

Well, it happened in the Czech Republic, but I'm sure George Bush will be blamed for it!

I guess he couldn't be satisfied sticking with imperialism. He is now entering the field of universalism. Convert every living thing within 5 light-years to the Republican party.

 

[Somdmommy]

Now, all books have to be updated. Solar System models have to be changed.


Now I have to remember not to add Pluto when teaching my sun the planets....

 

[ylexot]

Now I have to remember not to add Pluto when teaching my sun the planets....

You have your own sun!?!?!?

 

[ylexot]

I guess he couldn't be satisfied sticking with imperialism. He is now entering the field of universalism. Convert every living thing within 5 light-years to the Republican party.

Doesn't it say that in the PNAC charter?

 

[Jameo]

You have your own sun!?!?!?

She must be one bright person

 

[desertrat]

You have your own sun!?!?!?

That was an astronomical error!

 

[Toxick]

I wonder what kind of an impact - if any - this is going to have on NASA's New Horizon's program.

 

[hvp05]

I wonder what kind of an impact - if any - this is going to have on NASA's New Horizon's program.

Pluto is still worth investigating, if less significant than the other planets. Who knows, maybe detailed study will reveal something to move it back to the "planet" category. I'm sure the debate will still be alive by then.

 

[huntr1]

It's all Bush's fault. He was testing out his new super secret planet vaporizer.

 

[MMDad]

It's all Bush's fault. He was testing out his new super secret planet vaporizer.

“Oh goody! My Illudium Pu-36 explosive space modulator!”

 

[Tonio]

I was an astronomy buff when I was a kid, and I always thought it was odd that Pluto was considered a planet since it's much smaller than Earth's moon. The "dwarf planet" designation sounds right. (Now the PC police will go after the astronomers.)

 

[Winn Dixie]

I don't accept their decision. I was taught 9 planets and nine planets it will always be to me. What's next " well there's not really any gravity, the earth just sucks"?

 

[FireBrand]

It's all Bush's fault. He was testing out his new super secret planet vaporizer.

Oh, Yeah ! The super secret planet vaporizer that
will wipe out all of the dark rings around Uranus.