Is It true?

Question

I heard while watching sports TV that some fools are actually thinking about taking away Pluto's status as a planet. Who are the fools? And what's their basis for doing so?

Answer 1

The problem with Pluto is that it is small for a planet. It is actually a big ball of ice and rock, just like hundreds of other objects out that way. In reality, it is part of the Kuiper belt and isn't even the largest member of that assembly. So the dilemma is whether to keep it classified as a planet when it has many differences from the classical planets and possibly have to admit quite a number of other Kuiper belt objects as planets (because they are similar to Pluto); OR to drop Pluto as a planet altogether and recognize it as another type of object all together.

This is mixed with the search for planets in other solar systems. There has already been a huge debate on the difference between 'large Jupiters' and brown dwarfs. Now we are having a similar debate about the small hunks of rock and ice out there. It is *all* a matter of definition and trying to find ways of classifying nature into our cubbyholes.

The current proposal is a mix of these two and is a decent compromise from my point of view. To be a planet, the object has to orbit a star (the sun) and be large enough to make itself spherical from its own gravity. By this definition, Pluto, Charon, and 2003 UB313 (Xena) are planets, as is the asteroid Ceres. In addition, Pluto, Charon, and Xena are recognized as another type of object from the 'classical' planets and will also be called 'plutons'. This is similar to Ceres being a planet and an asteroid at the same time. Just like there are many asteroids that are not planets, there are many plutons that aren't planets either.

Answer 2

That's a very old discussion, the reasons are:
# Since all the planets except Pluto orbit the Sun within a few degrees of the plane of the Sun's equator. The orbit of Pluto is unusual in several ways. It is inclined more than 17o from the ecliptic (the plane in which the orbits of the planets lie). The orbit is also more eccentric (far from circular) than any other planetary orbit. At times, Pluto is closer to the Sun than the orbit of Neptune.
# Pluto rotates in the opposite direction from most of the other planets.
# Measurements indicate Pluto is the smallest planet, 2320 kilometers (1440 miles) in diameter. It is smaller than seven of the solar system's moons (the Moon, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Titan and Triton).
# Pluto may also be the largest of a group of objects that orbit in a disc-like zone of beyond the orbit of Neptune called the Kuiper Belt. This distant region consists of thousands of miniature icy worlds with diameters of at least 1,000 km and is also believed to be the source of some comets.
# The unusual nature of the orbits of Pluto and of Triton and the similarity of bulk properties between Pluto and Triton suggest some historical connection between them

for these and others reason there are some who think Pluto would be better classified as a large asteroid or comet rather than as a planet.
But don't worry, now there are thinking in 12 planets instead of 9:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/nineplanetsbecome12withcontroversialnewdefinition

Answer 3

Yes, some astronomers are trying to get Pluto status changed. Pluto is the largest object of the Kuiper belt. Closer to a large astroid than to a planet. I don't think that they will actually get the status changed.

Answer 4

well, not taking pluto away from the planet systems, leaves an open ended hole that will allow admission of tens to hundreds of new planets in the future...imagine our solar system with 59 planets, interesting!
but taking pluto away ends matter once and for all - no KBO (Kuiper Belt Object) allowed as a planet!

Answer 5

Today they decided that the planets of our solar system are 12
considering Huron as a twin Pluto's planet

Answer 6

Well. It's the same kinda debate they were having when Sedna was discovered. Their basis is the fact that Pluto has a very, very thin atmosphere and its size is rather small for a planet. However, since it's got a satellite (Charon) they may not be able to name it otherwise, since planetoids or asteroids don't have such things...

Answer 7

These fools as you call them are astronomers, and they have no intention of removing Pluto as a planet.

Answer 8

99 times out of 100 when someone here asks "Is it true?" the actual answer is: IT ISN'T.