Astronomers Decide Pluto's Fate: Do you agree?

Question

What is your opinion on a long-debated object since it's discovery: Pluto. Is this celestial object from the vast reaches of the kuiper belt a real planet, or just meteorite in the bast reaches of space?

Read this for more information:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20060824/sc_space/breakingnewsplutodemotednolongeraplanet

Please provide any factual evidence possible, as I am searching to finally cap this debated discovery. Please, try not to offend others. Vent as much as you want, and explain as much as you want.What is YOUR opinion? That means to try to use originality, and site ALL sources if used. I am hoping for this to be a great debate, and please, put time into your answers. Please no simple "no"s and "yes"s. Thanks!

Answer 1

I STRONLY disagree. Sign the petition to oppose this decision at http://pleasesavepluto.org/

Answer 2

This subject is a very interesting one and a highly complicated one too- the universe is a very delicate network deserving of all the scientific attention and research it gets.

1. I was like everyone else rather disappointed that Pluto was demoted but it would be quite unscientific to let peoples' feelings get in the way of genuine classification of the universe. That would be so silly. This requires the minds and intellectual powers of the experts to name planets as planets -depending on emotions for it is just not right. Although we know alot, we still know nothing at all as there is so much to learn regarding the universe. If Pluto had to be demoted, then the experts had good reason too.

2. In my opinion, the main problem everyone has -from astronomers ( experts) to any person- is lack of a proper definition for the word planet. BUT- while the discovery of the universe is still ongoing - and will be for a long, long time- the word planet could be liable to change at any time. It is best to fix a temporary definition for planet based on the 8 planets now in our solar system. Other could be added to this when it is found by the experts ( note: experts such as astronomers) that another 'planet' fits into the catogory discription of the 8 planets.
Who knows , maybe scientists will find new 'planets' in the future having more than the discriptive characteristics of our 8 planets even. Planet is a perfect word but perhaps a prefix or a suffix such as sub-planet Pluto ( just an example to indicate and simplify where it comes in the universe). Sub- Planet would indicate it is not yet known as a planet yet and still undergoing research. Plus, is a 'planet' that comes after the 8 classified ones. This will make it easier for students to understand too.

3. With the discovery of The 10th 'planet' Sedna and the twin planets - maybe astronomers found Pluto had more things in common with these 'planets' than the previous planets before it. Perhaps too, ( my thoughts) they would have had too to add all these to the solar system IF Pluto was like them. Thus, resulting in demoting Pluto.

4.A major change should be added in texts books though ( for students) and even emphasis given to the fact that with the universe being so vast and that as technology advances and more information is discovered , we will we come to know more- and this means that the universe is a developing discovery and therefore very much open to new terms, and new classifications etc being made.

Answer 3

Super question! I tend to agree with the downgrade. There are too many other small rocky bodies in the outer reaches that are more accurately called asteroids. Asteroids can have smaller asteriods orbiting them (Charon) Many more kuiper belt objects are being identified as time passes, and naming them all would be cumbersome. Neptune should be the final outer "planet". A Planet should have an atmosphere. I could be wrong, but I don't think Pluto has an atmosphere. Eventually Pluto and Neptune's orbits will come close enough where Pluto will become a satellite of Neptune. And yes I know several of Jupiter's and Saturn's moons have atmospheres, but it is clear they are satellites, since they do not hold their own orbit around the sun. I love astronomy =)

Answer 4

If pluto is considered a planet then there are about 40 other objects that have been recently discovered that ought to be named planets too! Since that's not reasonable, pluto must be out too! Personally I think there should always be the "nine classic planets". But the ancients only really knew of 5 of them; Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. They didn't know Earth was a planet and they couldn't see Uranus or Neptune, let alone Pluto.

Answer 5

I really don't think it matters what you classify something as. Opinions are really a tirckle thing. Do you think Pluto cares? probably not. It's still going to rotate around the Sun. Tough Sh** eh? A classification system is only designed to make one group of astronmers feel superior for the moment. Maybe try to get them some sort of prize. But really who cares? I could probably still find 6 billion others who will say Pluto is a planet (if they want) but then maybe the remaining few 100 people will disagree. They might get the mark on Prof. smart ***'s science test, but man, what jokes.

Its the same as the magical 7 contients. What is a continent? a large land mass? maybe there should only be 4 then? I have ready studies that there should be as many as 29 - each into geo-political-racial zones.

Anyways, there needs to be far more useful research garnering attention around the world today.

Answer 6

I tend to think that Pluto is not a planet. All of the planets in our galaxy get denser in composition the further they are from the sun. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are the four closest planets. These four planets our all rocky planets. They have a solid surface. Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn are all gaseous planets. They do not have a solid surface. Pluto on the other hand does have a solid surface. This is why I tend to agree with the camp that it is not a planet. I do think that since it has been called a planet for this long why not keep it that way. After all, science is not perfect.

Answer 7

I think its a little late for most people to suddenly not think of Pluto as a planet. I truthfully don't see why they couldn't have just left well enough along. They could have just created a definition for 'planet' that includes the 9 we had and been done with it; no more, no fewer. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to explain to my 6 yr old daughter how Pluto used to be a planet but now it isn't anymore.

As to whether they have the right to decide, :shrug: I suppose you have to give that job to somebody and they are (supposedly) more qualified than the rest of us.

Answer 8

Why does this remind me of a twix candy bar? I really don't care what these guys call it or them as long as they don't separate and collide with our planet. I would be more concerned about rogue objects crashing into us first. I think these guys have had nothing better to do with their time. If I remember correctly this debate has been brought up several times. The last I remember was in the late sixties. At the time no one wanted to change the text books. Now we live in an era of computers where information can be updated more frequently. (oh boy)

Answer 9

76 years on the list and then you get kicked in the crotch. It just not right. All these brianiacs should have started with Pluto as the smallest a planet can be and worked down or up from there. If I were Pluto, I'd leave and take my toys to some other solar systems.

Answer 10

I had been taught in school years and years ago that Pluto is one of the 9 planets in the Solar System and suddenly out of nowhere these scientists who have better things to do with their time decided to remove it. Now, how can I unlearn what I already learned?

Answer 11

im sorry but im too lazy to actually look up a site or two. But Pluto should be a planet because it has an individual orbit around the sun, doenst get bounced around because of the gravity of neptune(correct me if i am worng on neptune). If pluto is bounced out what says uranus and neptune wont be. Those astronomers need to chill let stuff be just because they have a chip on their shoulder doenst mean they have to piss everyone else off.