Can this be considered?

Question

This is a hypothetical question. I am just wondering.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has come up with a plan to re define what is a planet.

Under the new guidelines, can the Death Star be regarded as a planet? After all, it was quite big and its round. If it can't, why?

Answer 1

I should think any body as respectable as the IAU will define it as a body which does not have its own motive power, and which is in an orbit around another celestial object, according to the celestial mechanics of orbits, which does not involve independent motive power. Therefore, the death star would only be a planet when it was "parked," so to speak.

Answer 2

I think they are trying to find natural definitions between what will be called a planet and a comet and a moon and plutino and whatever might be out there. They have found so many new things that the names for the old one really are not very clear. there are things made of ice, rock, iron, gas, and mixtures. Some are very big and some are very small. There are way more kinds of things than Galaxies, Black Holes, Nebulae, Galactic Jets, Stars, Planets, Moons, Comets, Asteroids, Meteors, and dust.

Pluto was named at a time when Astronomers believed that something that could be seen from Earth that was in a nearly circular orbit around the Sun would be a planet.

When they found Pluto it was called a planet. But now they know that Pluto is only one - maybe the biggest one - of the remains of an asteroid-like object that was broken up into hundreds of pieces by one of the large planets, such as Jupiter, Uranus or Neptune. Since it is only a fragment of something that was much bigger, it doesn't seem right to call it a planet. So a planet is something more substantial, that would not be destroyed by passing near another planet. It would have to be massive enough to hold itself together by gravity. How to know this? Its gravity would be strong enough to form it into a sphere.

Then a Moon would be a planet orbiting another planet. Or maybe they are twin planets? What if we discover two that are the same size orbiting each other? Is one a moon?

The original meaning of planet was given to them because when the original planets were watched from Earth, they seemed to stop and go backward in their path around the Sun. Planet means wanderer.

The Death Star (were it real) would not qualify as a planet (or a moon) because it is spherical artificially, not because its gravity has forced it into a sphere.

;-D Maybe a planet should be only the ones we can see 'wander' in their path around the Sun. But that is not a very scientific way to name them.

Answer 3

I only have one idea on this subject and that is to say no because planets orbit stars. There's nothing in the Star Wars movies to say the Death Star didn't orbit a star but the whole point of the Death Star was that it blew up planets. (That's why Darth Vader is the baddest bad guy ever, he blew up Princess Lea's momma's planet) and I would have to guess even in the Star Wars Universe the Death Star would have to travel to get in range to blow up a planet. I don't think it would be able to blow up planets over the distance between star systems and I think that makes it not a planet, and not a space station as Han described it but a Star Ship. Also I'm not sure if there are any rules about planets being man (or Nabooine since Emperor Palpatine was from Naboo) made.

Answer 4

Assuming the death Star was, in fact, real...

First off it is a man made construction, with an artificial gravity and climate, neither of which occuring naturally. If the side of the Death Star were breached that climate would be lost, not able to be recreated and the gravity field generated would also be gone in that area (a "normal" planet would not lose the gravity).

Second, the Death Star travelled around the galaxy and not in any specific orbit like a "normal" planet. Even comets, which travel a long way across the solar system, are in an orbit and stay that way (unless bumped by another comet, asteroid, or planet).

Third, the shape was not created as a result of gravity and pressure, and does not continue to change as a "real" planet would.

Answer 5

Actually the Death Star does have a climate. Otherwise it's inhabitants would freeze or fry. If it has an atmosphere (on the inside) then it has a climate, albeit artificial. The question is: What are the parameters for a "planet" as set by the IAU and does the Death Star qualify. Then again would it be disqualified by virtue of the fact that it is a "machine"?

I can't believe I actually went to the trouble to answer this question. Must be past my bed time.

Answer 6

The International Astronomical Union is embroiled in yet another controversy. Let's just sit back and watch for the outcome before deciding whether the Death Star qualifies as a planet.

Answer 7

Nope

"the new definition of planethood, which is that an object be massive enough that gravity has formed it into a sphere and that it circles a star and not some other planet."

not sure about the gravity bit, but I dont think so, yeah its big, but its full of holes and may not have enough mass, and certainly it wasnt its own gravity that made it a sphere

also, it doesnt circle anything, its a full blown space ship

how ever, given its destructive capability, if it wants to be called a planet, then I'll call it a planet. Likewise if it wants to be called a marshmallow........

Answer 8

The new definition of a what a planet is states that the object must have sufficient mass to produce enough natural gravitational force to form itself into a spherical shape. An artificially made object, like the death star, purposely built into the shape of a sphere would not qualify.

Answer 9

Just being round and big doesn't make a heavely body a planet. A planet is a heavenly body that orbits around a body that makes their own light/heat. Like our sun. there are objects that gliters with reflected light, remeber they have to be sources of light and heat.

Answer 10

Did it orbit one object on a steady course? One of the reasons Pluto is not a planet anymore is because it changed places with Neptune