Do you agree with the IAU's reclassification of Pluto as a minor planet?

Question

I believe the criteria used to determine whether a celestial body is a planet is overly complex and should be simplified. We're pulling human factors into determination. Size, mass, SHAPE, and composition should NOT be factored into the determination. Alien worlds must be given alien consideration - not a dogmatic narrow view based on human experiences.

Simply put, a planet should have two things:

1. A planet should maintains an orbit within a system. Otherwise it can be classified as an asteriod or comet.

2. A planet can be a statellite to zero or more stars. It cannot be a satellite to another planet.

What is your opinion? What criteria should be used to determine a planet?

-Leon S

Answer 1

Many comets and asteroids orbit the sun and stay within our solar system much like a planet.

I don't particularly care if Pluto is classified as a planet or not but the point of reclassifying it is significant because in science a classification implies information about the object being classified. Pluto is similar to the other planets in obvious ways but it is disimilar in a very big way. It did not form in the same way as the other planets. In astronomy classification often communicates the composition, nature, birth, and death of an object.

I think Pluto should remain classified as a planet but I do think there should be a distinction between planets such as Venus, and Pluto which is a "captured" object.

Answer 2

Nobody set out to get Pluto removed, There was a need for redefinition and classification into clearly defined categories because of

(1) asteroids are now being discovered at the rate of 5000 a month

(2) the 1000+ bodies now known to exist beyond Neptune, all discovered in the last 15 years

(3) in addition to finding 170 stars with 200 planets between them, it has now become clear that some of these stars also have asteroid belts

Pluto's status was redefined because of these wider considerations, that's all.

Answer 3

I've always thought of planets as terrestrial, much like Earth, in orbit around the Sun. I had never heard of all the other classifications until recently. I did start learning about astronomy about 15 years ago and was shocked at all the facts I hadn't learned in school. Kodachrome. Any way, I still think of the terrestrial planets as planets, the big ones as Gas Giants, and the others as something else. I guess that is just me.
PS the only thing that bugs me about this is that Pluto was the only planet discovered by an American, Clyde Tombaugh.

Answer 4

I don't agree with their definition, regardless of Pluto. It's too simple, not too complicated.

It looks like more politics were involved than good science. The IAU and their apparent lack of scientific competence has greatly disappointed me. But there's nothing we can do about it - yet. The gods of Mount IAU have spoken.

It's interesting to note that roughly only 5% of all the astronomers in the world had anything to say about it.

I'm waiting to see what happens when they realise that Earth and Jupiter are NOT planets according to that definition. For example, Jupiter has not cleared its orbit of debris and shares its orbit with legions of asteroids - enough to make a sizeable body if gathered together.

That definition is bound to give NASA a headache!

I've noticed that some people don't realise that the definition applies ONLY to our solar system alone. It does not yet apply to any planetary systems around other stars.

I think they will have to make some serious revisions. It's not over 'till the fat planet sings!
 

Answer 5

We should be allowed to step foot on it and live, even though it doesn't have breathable oxygen.

All the cool planets are made of gas. When I was a little kid, I wanted to go to Jupiter and roll around in it's orangeness. I wanted to go to Saturn, lay out a park bench and stare into the sky looking at the ring and seven moons. But no. It is a friggin' gas planet. If I land in there I will I sink in infinetely until I disintegrate! Because of this atrocity to my childhood dream and due to the current reclassifcation of planets going on, I recommend that we ban all Gas planets from our solar system! It doesn't matter if I'll never fly to the moon or Mars, at least I know I could stand on them!

Answer 6

Well, now you know why scientists don't believe.

The definitions the IAU came up with are rational and useful. The rules you came up with would have too many exceptions.

Regardless all definitions are arbitrary and their value depends on their usefulness and not on people's emotiona reaction to them.

Answer 7

The only way we'll really find the truth is to commission Dick Cheney to go to the CIA, twist somes arms and come back with the answer.

Answer 8

Well, theyr also saying (or so I hear) its orbiting neptune, which means its not orbiting the sun. from what i understand its a minor planet bc of that reason.

Answer 9

I think Interplanet Janet from Schoolhouse Rock must be pretty pissed off right now.

Answer 10

Ditto...