I didn't follow the news relating to those two plannets, though I'd appreciate that very much if you please kindly share me your knowledge.
2006-10-15 13:01:54 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Firstly an agreement was struck that included Pluto as a planet - but had the unfortunate consequence that the total number of objects in the solar system designated planets could be as high as 50 (and I heard at least one report giving a higher figure).
This would drive amateur astronomers, quiz panel games, and obsessive listers absolutely crazy.
I suspect that the essential problem was that Pluto was the only putative planet to have been discovered by an American. So some form of words had to be found which still retained the word 'planet' but made a distinction between the really big lumps (the planets), the much smaller lumps, and the boulders which inhabit our solar system.
So now we have Planets (8), Dwarf Planets (3 recognized but a lot more in the waiting room) and Minor Planets (alias asteroids). Asteroids can be very irregular and not really very planet-like at all. There are also things called 'meteroids' which are the smaller lumps of rock - presumably the ones that can form meteors and meteorites without the risk of huge disasters on Earth. So any previous putative 10th planet will most likely be designated as a dwarf planet.
Now that some extrasolar planets have been found (ie ones outside the solar system) one needs to be clear about whether one is referring to planets of the our sun, or of another star.
2006-10-15 22:37:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When Pluto was discovered back in the early 1900's there was some concern that it was much smaller than expected.
In the late 80's early 90 Pluto was discovered to have a very large moon, Charin, which had misled astronomers into thinking that Pluto was much larger than it really was.
By 2005 a number of Pluto sized objects had Been discovered in about the same region of space occupied by Pluto and area known as the Kuiper belt. It became clear to astronomers that there were ice objects unlike the other classical planets - the rocky terrestrials and the gas giants.
The exact definition of what a planet is had never been really made. This was Done at conference this year. The new classification determined that Pluto and the other objects around it - were not planets in the "classical" sense and they were downgraded to "dwarf planets"
Hence we lot Pluto as a planet. The other choice would to be make the other Pluto like objects planets and they were being discovered at an increasing rate. Clearly they are very different from the other planets so it was easier (and right in my option) to set the number of planets to eight.
To put this in historical contact in the 1800's Ceres and then Vesta were classified as planets. When it was realised how small they were they we recognised that they were a new class of object (asteroids) and re-classified.
We haven't lost Pluto - we have just put it in the right box.
By the way I don't like the dwarf planet classification, I would prefer Pluto and Pluto like objects to be classified as Kuiper belt Objects.
2006-10-15 21:24:13 · answer #2 · answered by Mark G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pluto and Sedna just didn't have enough in common with the conventional 8 planets to be classified as such, and quite rightly there was a revision and Pluto has been classed as a 'Dwarf Planet'
If you classified Pluto as a Planet then you'd also have to include many asteroid belt objects into that classification.
2006-10-15 13:11:07 · answer #3 · answered by Chimbles 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pluto was down graded. We now have 8 planets. The reason was that the characteristics of pluto were so similar to other celestial bodies, that we'd either have to accept 14-15 planets, or 8. We went with 8.
2006-10-15 13:04:43 · answer #4 · answered by Arnold M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pluto, Ceres, and Eris are officially classified as Dwarf Planets now. Leaving 8 normal Planets and many many 'small solar system bodies.' But it really doesn't mean much, the exact same stuff is floating around up there as always has been.
2006-10-15 13:06:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
My Answer to this is !
Science is not Fact or fiction . Its just a Conclusion !
I don't think science when it comes to space ect is totally Correct . So many things Scientist say makes you wonder what these nerds think , also why should we believe them.
Its all aload of bollocks . Does it Really matter if we have 8 -15 Planets ? The answer is no . Lets spend more time sorting out Earth .
2006-10-15 14:35:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Pluto is now considered a dwarf planet, it's moreles been demoted there are certain qualifiactions for a planet to be called a planet and pluto is no longer qualified as one. They're are only 8 planets now.
2006-10-15 13:17:12 · answer #7 · answered by Jules 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pluto was demoted, and is now running as an independent. The wannabe 10th didn't even make the ballot.
2006-10-15 13:05:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some scientists think that they were too small and took them out of the list of planets.
2006-10-15 13:09:38 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pluto is not a planet (Walt is turning in his grave) and the other thing is a mini-planet.
2006-10-15 13:06:46 · answer #10 · answered by Gone fishin' 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋