Thursday, August 24, 2006
Not 9, not 12, there are 8 planets only
The International Astronomical Union’s General Assembly have been voting, in fact they still are [for now], on the proposals for the definition of a planet listed here. And, as the BBC breaking news report put it “Pluto loses status as a planet” [breaking news? - Ed] and here. I’m trying to confirm the voting, but it seems proposal 5A was passed, and 5B was voted down.. which means, as suggested yesterday, we have lost Pluto.. Updated below Updated again
The definition of a planet
RESOLUTION 5A
The IAU therefore resolves that planets and other bodies in our Solar System be defined into three distinct categories in the following way:(1) A planet1 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, and (c) has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.
(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) shape2, (c) has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit, and (d) is not a satellite.
(3) All other objects3 orbiting the Sun shall be referred to collectively as “Small Solar System Bodies”.
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1The eight planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
2An IAU process will be established to assign borderline objects into either dwarf planet and other categories.
3These currently include most of the Solar System asteroids, most Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs), comets, and other small bodies.
They’ve just voted to accept 6A.. 6B to follow has been voted down.
RESOLUTION 6A
The IAU further resolves:Pluto is a dwarf planet by the above definition and is recognized as the prototype of a new category of trans-Neptunian objects.
RESOLUTION 6B
The following sentence is added to Resolution 6A:This category is to be called “plutonian objects.”
Update 6B was voted down which means there is no name at present for the new category of trans-Neptunian objects.
More There’s an interesting aside to note about the voting today, or more particularly who oversaw the proceedings at the General Assembly, as detailed in this report from the Guardian
Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a specialist in neutron stars from Northern Ireland who oversaw the proceedings, urged those who might be “quite disappointed” about Pluto’s diminished status 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.
Updated again
As renowned astronomer Jocelyn Bell Burnell, formerly of this parish (Northern Ireland) and currently the house patron of Burnell House at Cambridge House Grammar School in Ballymena, comforts Pluto *ahem* the BBC notes that there could be trouble ahead...
Is this the end of the matter?
Unlikely. The Principal Investigator on Nasa’s $700m New Horizons mission to Pluto has lambasted the decision to demote Pluto. Alan Stern told BBC News the decision was “embarrassing” and the criteria amounted to “sloppy science”. He said like-minded astronomers would try to get Pluto reinstated.
Pete Baker @ 01:38 PM
How do the Plutonians feel about this? Were they consulted? Outrageous!!!
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 02:19 PMYou know, back in 1930, astrologers were falling over themselves to explain why the discovery of a new planet affected them not one whit. I’m really looking forward to seeing the contortions the fraudulent g*bsh*t*s go through to get out of this one…
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 02:31 PMI just feel sorry for Mickey Mouse!!!
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 02:33 PMDoes this change make us (well, me really) any closer to being the center of the universe?
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 02:35 PMWhy the [breaking news? - Ed] in the post?
It is breaking news because they’ve only voted for definite on it in the last few hours.
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 02:40 PMOC
It’s just a note to signify how most, all I think, of the major media companies have reacted to the story.
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 02:45 PM“Northern Ireland “not centre of universe” - scientists”
Now that’d be controversial. That’d be a debate we Sluggerites could get our teeth into.
But seriously: who the hell are we, as Earthlings, to start telling the Plutonians that theirs is not really a planet? Where’s the parity of esteem there? Who dares to speak out for the Plutonians?
How would we like it if some boffins on Jupiter started casting aspersions on our own planetary status? Ah yes, we Earthlings are quite the big fellas, taking potshots at Pluto, when it’s only a little slip of a thing, and far, far away. You never hear scientists getting lippy about Saturn, do you? Hah, they know better.
And more to the point, would someone please advise, quickly, whether Pluto is a Catholic or a Protestant planet? How the hell are we in NI to know where we stand on this issue otherwise?
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 03:02 PMI’ve added a little piece of info that might interest some, on the voting today and the person overseeing the proceedings - Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 03:23 PMAbout bloody time is what I say. Pluto has been mascararding as a planet all these years. But now the mask has finally slipped. We now is it and its moon really is. Rocks. Now if we can get mecury’s bald head of the list we can get somewhere on this list business.
What does this make exoplanets then
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 03:26 PMIt has nothing whatsoever to do with religious sectarianism, Billy Pilgrim. Pluto refused to rejoin the Commonwealth and accept the Queen as its head. Besides which, they support Arsenal.
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 03:26 PMSimon
Interesting point, and if you look at the previous post, one that was raised during the earlier debates [the video should still be there].
In short, it doesn’t affect them. They were excluded from the remit of the definition under discussion.
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 03:30 PMWhat about Charon? It’s tempting to think that it’s a satellite of Pluto, and therefore not a dwarf planet. But Charon and Pluto actually orbit a point in between them that isn’t within either object. Therefore they are a pair of dwarf planets.
Compare this with the Earth and the Moon, where the Moon (and the Earth) each orbit around a point which is close to, but distinct from, the centre of the earth. This point is still within the earth meaning the Moon is a proper satellite of the earth.
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 03:44 PMDo people actually find this kind of stuff interesting? For me it meets every definition of the word “academic”.
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 04:19 PMKeith
Do people actually find this kind of stuff interesting.
Yes.
Let’s face it beats Paisley’s position on virtually anything, Jerry Adams’s sanctimonious babble, David Ford on voting systems. Lets face it about the few sparks of interest on the political front..
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 04:41 PM‘Let’s face it beats Paisley’s position’
Now if only Paisley were a trans Neptunian the inner Solar System would be a less cantankerous place
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 05:01 PMI was quite taken aback at the reason given on the news. They said that since Pluto is a dwarf, it doesnt have equal rights.
Now, this may be a symptom of living here too long, but has anyone spoken to Monica? Not vertically or horizontally challenged, not short, not a ‘little planet’ but a very politically incorrect dwarf.
On behalf of short people everywhere, I am outraged.Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 05:58 PMMiss Fitz
Its rough being a trans Neptunian object always left out in the cold.
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 06:14 PMThe Bastards! What right have they got to take away Pluto as a planet?
Pluto has existed as the 9th Planet in the collective imagination of humanity for so long. Yet this undemocratic conglemoration of scientists now tells us that this beautiful, distant orb in the heavens is no longer worthy of the name Planet.
Instead, they tell us, she is now merely to be a ‘Dwarf Planet’.
All who love our friendly neighboring orbs and the sense of our earth, hurtling along through the void, accompanied by her sister planets, must protest.
Pluto is a planet, and long may she live on in our imaginations, the princess of the furthermost outreaches our solar system.
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 06:29 PMPluto always did seem a bit of a thug to me.. wandering around the solar system, trampling all over Neptune’s turf in his platform boots, pretending to be a planet with his mate Charon close at hand to back him up.. and not one, but two other moons in attendance.
‘bout time he was taken down a peg or two..
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 06:33 PMI disagree Sir! Would we accept such undemocratically imposed Drarfishness on any other of our friends?
Let Pluto Live!
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 06:42 PM“undemocratically imposed”
There were several votes taken on this, by the IAU, and they were all overseen by someone who was born here.
You can call Pluto whatever you like… but the text-books will say it’s not one of the 8 planets of the solar system. ;op
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 06:47 PMMore importantly, what are we going to teach the children about how to remember the planets? (Someone please think of the children!) I mean, I learned “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pickles” to get the planet names in order and they just destroyed the Pickle!!
.
.
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Okay, “...Just Served Us Nectarines.” “Nachos”? “Nothing”?Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 08:18 PMPluto will live on, no doubt. Remember when the Catholic church ousted St. Christopher (actually, neither do i ... happily before my time ... but i was taught so by Sister Ann)? The worldwide congregation simply ignored the church’s ruling on it—his medals are still sold, and you can find him on a number of cheezy cars—the Pinto, especially.
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 08:31 PMCorrection: you won’t actually find St. Christopher ON any car (at least i haven’t, though i lost the faith years ago)—you’d find a replica of him on the dashboard.
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 08:34 PMAislingeach
I like ‘Nothing’ as the alternative in that mnemonic.
Could have been worse, though… you might have had to think up something for Ceres and Charon..
SlugFest
Oh, Pluto’s still there… it’s just not a planet.
Posted by on Aug 24, 2006 @ 08:44 PM
