Jupiter is still a planet even though its massively bigger than all others. Anyone else surprised at the demotion of Pluto? I thought they were going to go the other way and increase the number of planets!
2006-08-27 06:58:32 · 5 answers · asked by homosceptic 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
the international astronomical union defined three terms "planet", "dwarf planet", and "small solar system body".
(1) A planet is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (c) has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit.
(2) A dwarf planet is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, (c) has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit, and (d) is not a satellite.
(3) All other objects orbiting the Sun shall be referred to collectively as "Small Solar System Bodies".
pluto orbits the sun with a bunch of other similar bodies with similar orbits so it dwarf planet.
mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, uranus, and neptune are "planets". ceres, pluto, and 2003 UB313 are three of the "dwarf planets".
look here:
http://www.iau2006.org/mirror/www.iau.org/iau0603/index.html
2006-08-27 07:17:33 · answer #1 · answered by warm soapy water 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I did initially look as though they were going to go the other way with their decision regarding Pluto. Instead they gave it a demotion to a "dwarf planet".
A dwarf planet is a category of celestial bodies in the solar system defined in a resolution passed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) on August 24, 2006. The definition currently applies only to the Sun's solar system. It applies only to the English language, and terminology may differ in other languages. In the usage approved by the IAU, the category "dwarf planet" is distinct from that of "planet" and also from another new category, "Small Solar-System Body".
The IAU resolution describes a dwarf planet as an object that:
Is in orbit around the Sun
Has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape
Has not "cleared the neighborhood" around its orbit
Is not a satellite of a planet, or other nonstellar body
It differs from the definition of the planet in that the dwarf planet has not cleared its orbital neighborhood. This definition reclassified Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet because it has not cleared the neighborhood of its orbit (the Kuiper Belt).
2006-08-27 14:09:01 · answer #2 · answered by rp_iowa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Funny you should ask that question - that is exactly what I thought when I heard the "breaking news" on the radio!!! First they announced that it had been decided that Jupiter was no longer considered a planet. Then they stated that now, due to it's size, it's a dwarf planet???? I wonder how many reasearch grants it took to determine this?
2006-08-27 14:04:23 · answer #3 · answered by clueless 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah just small, like a dwarf person....
2006-08-27 14:00:20 · answer #4 · answered by dyno_bot 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
yep...
2006-08-27 14:03:30 · answer #5 · answered by ryanisalifestyle 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋