2006-07-19 02:52:33 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The number of planets in our solar system is always debatable. Lots of scientists debate that Pluto isn't really a planet. The definition of what is a planet is too vague and can be interpreted in a number of ways. They recently discovered a large rock beyond Pluto. Is that rock considered a planet? For the moment, no, but what exactly is the difference between a large rock body that rotates around the sun and a planet? That question can't be answered with 100% assurance since the definition of a planet may change in time, and future technology may allow us to discover more planets. So right now, I gotta say that officially, there are only 9 planets, but in the future, there might be more, maybe even less!
2006-07-19 02:58:43 · answer #1 · answered by germ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Until recently the number of planets in the solar system was said to be 9.
Mercury, Venus, earth, Mars Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.
Pluto is the smallest out of all of those. It is also the most distant, and has a very oval shaped, tilted orbit, which lead many astronomers to think that it didn't actually form in it's orbit like the other planets, but that it formed in a belt of debris surrounding the solar system called the Kuiper belt.
Because of this, many have called for Pluto to be reclassified as a planetoid, or simply a Kuiper belt object.
Recently we have found other fairly large objects beyond Pluto, within our solar system. Three of them being Sedna, Quaoar, and Xena.
Quaoar will most likely not be classified as a planet. It's about the size of Pluto's moon Charron and is thought to exist in the Oort Cloud, a cloud of debris which surrounds the outskirts of the solar system.
Xena, however, is larger than Pluto and so the reasoning if, if Pluto is a planet, surely Xena too must be called a planet.
So it seems we either have 8 known planets or 10 known planets.
P.S. You will be taken more seriously in life and held in higher esteem if you use "that" instead of "dat" when you aren't speaking or typing amonst family and friends.
2006-07-19 18:38:24 · answer #2 · answered by minuteblue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all I assume u r referring to the solar system when u say "this world". No. 2 is that our galaxy (the milky way) has millions of starts and far more planets than someone wrongly answered above.
As to the nine planets, it is rather a matter of classification. There are some objects that are classified as asteroids that might be planets. Then there are a lot of comets etc that also orbit the sun. Safe to say that there are plenty of things in the solar system orbiting the sun.
Recently they found a new planet (Lia I think) and that was even farther than Sedna, a planetoid (classification again).The "pluto and everything bigger" is a planet also doesn't work all the time.
2006-07-19 03:03:19 · answer #3 · answered by blind_chameleon 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dat? this world? Is it true that if you had gone to school today, you would have been smarter when you got home?
kja63,
You may want to check the library and open a book while you're there. Our galaxy contains many planets that we aren't aware of. Our SOLAR SYSTEM, however contains 10 planets. One that was recently discovered in 2003.
2006-07-19 02:56:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, but the Solar System that our planet is in consists of nine planets. Well, it's more like 8 with a really huge satellite orbiting Neptune (called Pluto).
2006-07-19 02:55:13 · answer #5 · answered by grandadmiralsteve 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This world "contains" one moon. Our solar system has 9 planets, perhaps more beyond Pluto but who cares? There's lots of stuff in the Oort cloud, a region beyond Pluto extending to a few light months out from beyond our sun, perhaps even half way to Proxima Centauri, the nearest star besides our sun. If it was a gas giant like Jupiter, we would have detected it by now.
2006-07-19 18:24:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
hey!!!...what do you mean??...this world contains 9 planets????.....you are in which grade???
well...just to let you know....our solar system consist of 9 known planets....and this solar system is a part of the Milky Way galaxy which in turn is part of this universe....so no one knows..if there exist any more solar system in our galaxy..or how many galaxies in this universe...look....these stuffs are HUGE, dude...but before you ask something, next time make sure that you ask the correct stuff, eh???
2006-07-19 03:33:40 · answer #7 · answered by abns_uk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This world? You mean our galaxy? 9 known planets in it. But our galaxy is not the only one out there. There are billions! We are but microscopic dust in the universe.
2006-07-19 02:55:09 · answer #8 · answered by kja63 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Xena I think is the name of the 10th planet.
2006-07-19 02:59:04 · answer #9 · answered by Roxi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dude there has been a new discovery. We're just a spec. If your world mean 'our galazy' then yes there are more planets, We are so small....so small.
AJ
2006-07-19 02:57:58 · answer #10 · answered by AJ 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋