Comments on: Pluto, “Weak”. http://wanderingspace.net/2009/03/pluto-%e2%80%9cweak%e2%80%9d/ Imaging the bodies of our Solar Sysytem Mon, 21 May 2012 22:09:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Gordan http://wanderingspace.net/2009/03/pluto-%e2%80%9cweak%e2%80%9d/#comment-4603 Gordan Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:50:35 +0000 http://wanderingspace.net/?p=1015#comment-4603 If only Pluto's orbit wasn't in a resonance with Neptune, it'd have been ejected far into the Kuiper belt a long time ago. Just like all the other bodies that undoubtedly formed in similar orbits to Pluto's. We'd have none of this tiresome argument nowadays. This sentimentalism about Pluto's status is frankly puzzling to me, regardless of whether the IAU decision was justified or not. One can argue all day about inventing rules by which it classifies as a planet just as one can make equally valid rules on why it doesn't qualify. In the end it doesn't matter, even Ceres was once regarded as a planet, only to naturally stop being called one once similar objects were discovered. How come noone's crying for reinstating poor little Ceres? If only Pluto’s orbit wasn’t in a resonance with Neptune, it’d have been ejected far into the Kuiper belt a long time ago. Just like all the other bodies that undoubtedly formed in similar orbits to Pluto’s. We’d have none of this tiresome argument nowadays.

This sentimentalism about Pluto’s status is frankly puzzling to me, regardless of whether the IAU decision was justified or not. One can argue all day about inventing rules by which it classifies as a planet just as one can make equally valid rules on why it doesn’t qualify. In the end it doesn’t matter, even Ceres was once regarded as a planet, only to naturally stop being called one once similar objects were discovered. How come noone’s crying for reinstating poor little Ceres?

]]> By: Ben http://wanderingspace.net/2009/03/pluto-%e2%80%9cweak%e2%80%9d/#comment-4602 Ben Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:33:00 +0000 http://wanderingspace.net/?p=1015#comment-4602 I'm actually wearing that shirt right now. I’m actually wearing that shirt right now.

]]> By: thomas http://wanderingspace.net/2009/03/pluto-%e2%80%9cweak%e2%80%9d/#comment-4589 thomas Sun, 22 Mar 2009 03:07:58 +0000 http://wanderingspace.net/?p=1015#comment-4589 perhaps, but then we would have to also include ceres, sedna and i think up to 6 others recently discovered. not that its a bad thing… but i think the idea of having 16 planets vs. 8 is what made people think twice. perhaps, but then we would have to also include ceres, sedna and i think up to 6 others recently discovered. not that its a bad thing… but i think the idea of having 16 planets vs. 8 is what made people think twice.

]]> By: Laurel Kornfeld http://wanderingspace.net/2009/03/pluto-%e2%80%9cweak%e2%80%9d/#comment-4587 Laurel Kornfeld Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:13:06 +0000 http://wanderingspace.net/?p=1015#comment-4587 Pluto SHOULD be included in the planetary family. It is spherical, meaning it is in a state known as hydrostatic equilibrium, where it is pulled into a round shape by its own gravity. This is a characteristic of planets and not of shapeless asteroids and Kuiper Belt Objects. The IAU demotion was done by only four percent of its members, most of whom are not planetary scientists, and was immediately opposed by hundreds of professional astronomers led by Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto. Pluto SHOULD be included in the planetary family. It is spherical, meaning it is in a state known as hydrostatic equilibrium, where it is pulled into a round shape by its own gravity. This is a characteristic of planets and not of shapeless asteroids and Kuiper Belt Objects. The IAU demotion was done by only four percent of its members, most of whom are not planetary scientists, and was immediately opposed by hundreds of professional astronomers led by Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto.

]]> By: Gordan http://wanderingspace.net/2009/03/pluto-%e2%80%9cweak%e2%80%9d/#comment-4578 Gordan Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:01:30 +0000 http://wanderingspace.net/?p=1015#comment-4578 Haha, nice one! Haha, nice one!

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