Do you think Pluto is a planet?

Question

The remaining astronomers made the decision on the last day of a meeting of the International Astronomical Union in Prague (about 5% of the world astronomers), that Pluto should no longer be called a planet. Sometimes very exciting things happen in science, and my impression is that most of the world was willing to accept a new 12 planet solar system. The definition of a planet could have included many factors; mass, gravitation, atmosphere, stable orbit path, orbiting satellites, etc. I was shocked to hear that because of new discoveries farther out in the solar system, Pluto was demoted for simplicity sake. The astrological community has been debating the inclusion of Pluto as a planet, since its discovery in 1930. What do you think?

Answer 1

not anymore

Answer 2

The problem with Pluto that nobody seems to be emphasising, is that it is now known to belong to a growing number of discovered small bodies that orbit from near Saturn's orbit right out to way beyond Neptune. If, and this is the cruncher, you call Pluto a planet, you are going to have to call a mounting number of other similar size objects planets as they are detected over the next years and decades.

So, instead of having to remember the names of 9 planets, kids twenty years from now would probably have to remember the names of several hundred planets. It would be worse than asking them to remember the names of the almost hundred planetary moons in the Solar System.

That would be silly, because these new objects are not planets. And so neither is Pluto.

Even right after Pluto's discovery in 1930 it was in question as whether it was a real planet. It was only the exicitement and the hype of discovery, mixed with the fact that it was the only body of its kind known out there that it was accepted as a planet - more by the public than the astronomers.

It is not a planet. It does not fit the profile of 4 rocky inner planets, and 4 gaseous outer planets. It has a very wonky orbit like many other asteroidal and cometary bodies, and it has been argued that it has so much water ice that if it was swung nearer the sun, it would develop a tail and look every bit like the comet it probably once was.

So, don't worry. The Solar System is getting bigger, not smaller

Answer 3

I think the correct choice was made. Pluto never should have been a planet in the first place. It's just because of the conditions under which it was found that it was called a planet in the first place. The only reason it's remained a planet this long is because there hasn't really been a reason to change it until just recently with the discovery of 2003 UB313 that an official decision needed to be made. Should the decision been made earlier and saved some grief and criticism, sure, but they made the right choice. Besides it's not like demoting planets is entirely new. It was done in the 1800's when Ceres was demoted from a planet to just an oversized member of the astroid belt.

Answer 4

Well, Pluto is not a planet because Pluto could be our moon it is so small!, Pluto is just what everyone is calling it, a 'Dwarf Planet'
But even if Pluto is not a planet, we might still have 1 more, scientists are looking at. it is called the 'Planet X' i think? well anyway, No Pluto isn't a planet, its moon isn't really a moon, some people think it is a comet that got pulled in by the gravity of the sun and it is basically another 'planet'. oh, i am only 11yrs. and i know all this stuff. i just typed what i think is true cause i wanna be a astronaut when i grow up! so i have to study!

Answer 5

A rose by any other name is still a rose. Pluto exists. It's an ice ball with a small rocky or metallic core. Probably iron. But, it's not big enough to meet some of the criteria of the larger eight planets, so it's been demoted. Do you think Pluto cares?

Answer 6

Since Pluto is quite small, smaller that the Earth's moon, and since it is not actually the dominate rock in its part of the system, calling it a planet is a bit much. Whether one thinks it is or it isn't is really not the question as that is based on the definition one must use. In a few years they may decide that smaller is better and Pluto will take its place as the 9th rock from the sun.

Answer 7

The Pluto debate is just the latest effort by a bunch of old men trying to justify their paychecks by getting what they do into the news. Pluto Smuto, who the hell cares? If a useless gas giant like Jupiter that you couldn't actually stand on can be called a planet then a small icy ball like Pluto can be one too.

Answer 8

I even have pluto interior the "first homestead' conjunct my ascendant in my chart,and that i think that is capability very strongly in my character,through fact i'm the variety who could be obsessed with issues,and that i've got a annoying time letting issues or human beings flow,and while i choose something i flow after it with finished tension,and positioned like each and every thing into what i choose,and each so often that scares me slightly through fact i'm able to flow to extremes lots that i make myself in basic terms approximately unwell which isn't good in any respect,yet i do it.I even have an inclination to push myself somewhat annoying with something that i do,and that i won't be able to end until i'm getting what i choose all completed or the way i choose it completed.that is in basic terms approximately like an all or no longer something physique of ideas with me even nevertheless I even have libra as my increasing sign.

Answer 9

Pluto is a planet. It orbits around the sun, sure its orbit is eccentric but it does, and it's spherical in shape and has its own gravity well that prevents random space debris like asteriods from being caught in its orbit. That is the defenition of a planet. Unless future evidence is found that it in fact orbits around Charon instead of otherwise, it will always be a planet.

Answer 10

The problem I had with the twelve planet proposal is that Charon would have been one of the twelve while prior to that proposal I have only heard people describe Charon as a moon.

It was probably best to demote Pluto.

Answer 11

I don't care if Pluto is or isn't a planet.

But I do think that if it hasn't evolved enough or built itself up enough from the other bodies around it, it shouldn't get the same status.

Seriously now, when we one day need to rely on planets for being planets, will we really want to call Pluto a planet? Nah. Let's call it a non-planet and a risk.

It doesn't pay to be rash. it doesn't pay to be stupid.