Post by Man in Black on Oct 17, 2007 3:43:32 GMT -5
Scientists are proposing to add a few more heavenly bodies to the list of objects that qualify as planets in our local system.
The proposal, is gaining broad support. It's meant to address the lack of an acceptable definition for the word "planet". Discoveries of more worlds in the outer solar system have caused astronomers to debate the terminology.
The [[asteroid Ceres]], which is round, would be recast as a dwarf planet in the new scheme.
Pluto would remain a planet and its moon [[Charon]] would be reclassified as a planet. Both would be called "[[plutons]]," however, to distinguish them from the eight "classical" planets.
A far-out Pluto-sized object known as [[2003 UB313]] would also be called a pluton.
"The definition itself is not that important. There are lots of interesting bodies out there for us to study. We need to have a definition, though, because it makes it easier for people to understand what we mean."
-Amy Simon-Miller, NASA scientists and member of the DPS Committee that endorsed the IAU resolution
Click Here to see much more info on this planetary debate!
The proposal, is gaining broad support. It's meant to address the lack of an acceptable definition for the word "planet". Discoveries of more worlds in the outer solar system have caused astronomers to debate the terminology.
Chart showing the current list of twelve proposed planets
The [[asteroid Ceres]], which is round, would be recast as a dwarf planet in the new scheme.
Pluto would remain a planet and its moon [[Charon]] would be reclassified as a planet. Both would be called "[[plutons]]," however, to distinguish them from the eight "classical" planets.
A far-out Pluto-sized object known as [[2003 UB313]] would also be called a pluton.
This chart shows more candidates to become planets
Straw Poll
Space.com conducted an informal straw poll of respected astronomers who study planets and other small objects in our solar system and around other stars. Not all of them are at the IAU meeting where they can vote, but the question was this:
How would you vote on the planet definition proposal?
Yes - 8
No - 7
Undecided - 0
Space.com conducted an informal straw poll of respected astronomers who study planets and other small objects in our solar system and around other stars. Not all of them are at the IAU meeting where they can vote, but the question was this:
How would you vote on the planet definition proposal?
Yes - 8
No - 7
Undecided - 0
"The definition itself is not that important. There are lots of interesting bodies out there for us to study. We need to have a definition, though, because it makes it easier for people to understand what we mean."
-Amy Simon-Miller, NASA scientists and member of the DPS Committee that endorsed the IAU resolution
Click Here to see much more info on this planetary debate!
The order would change, depending on where the new ones are in the system.
