What reasons do the scientists have?
2006-08-24 07:26:47 · 16 answers · asked by Cam K 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
They say it does not have a true circular orbit like the other planets do and that its mass isn't big enough, etc.
It and it's moon Charon (which is almost as big as Pluto) are actually a binary planetary system.
They also found a planet bigger than Pluto and called it Xena (go warrior princess) but it too is in a long elliptical orbit and way out past the Van Kyper belt of asteroids.
I'm going to miss ol Pluto as a planet. Now it's gonna be called a "dwarf" planet like Xena and a bunch of others.
With all these dwarfs, we need a new Snow White planet! and Pluto being downgraded is gonna piss off Disney!
2006-08-24 07:34:12 · answer #1 · answered by alabamakevin 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason Freud isn't psychology. A bunch of stuffed shirts got together and voted.
Science by Democracy!
Yeah, that's good science!
They claim it's because it's too small and comes in closer than Neptune.
Plain and simple.
Wouldn't it be something if in 200 years we found LIFE there. Then what would they say! If Pluto and Earth were the only bodies with life, what would they say! Would they take it all back!
Well, live with it. Pluto is just a big chunk of rock!
2006-08-24 14:40:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some scientists believe that Pluto was once a moon of Neptune, but somehow broke out of its orbit of Neptune and made its own orbit around the Sun.
2006-08-24 14:32:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Much-maligned Pluto doesn't make the grade under the new rules for a planet: "a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a ... nearly round shape, and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit."
Pluto is automatically disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune's.
2006-08-24 14:30:25 · answer #4 · answered by iluvmynotebook 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Pluto is classified as being a trans-Neptunian object. It is grouped with many of the other objects in the Kuiper Belt region of space, meaning that it is part of a "neighborhood" of space objects. Because of this, it cannot be classified as a planet until it has substantially been separated from the rest of the trans-Neptunian objects. By the official definition, for it to be a planet, it has to have "cleared the neighborhood around its orbit."
2006-08-24 14:43:57 · answer #5 · answered by phantasm81986 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The new definition is "a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a ... nearly round shape, and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit."
Pluto is automatically disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune's.
2006-08-24 14:31:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
They've now come up with a new classification- pluto is now what they call a dwarf planet.
2006-08-24 14:34:48 · answer #7 · answered by bluehorse89 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
crazy orbit, barely a sphere, tiny, not formed (most likely) along with the other planets, and hasn't 'cleaned up its neighborhood.'
But it is a 'dwarf planet,' so techinically it still gets that term... but its not one of the great 8
2006-08-24 14:38:56 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The number one reason was that it has an orbit that crosses the orbit path of another planet!
2006-08-24 14:29:32 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
pluto is a planet
2006-08-24 14:35:12 · answer #10 · answered by sweety 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋