If you can add other interresting things that would be great!
2007-06-10 07:38:28 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It is not 9 or 8. Those are just the original planets. There are MANY MANY MORE! Search it up on the internet.
2007-06-10 07:44:50 · update #1
The answer, although the questioner does not want to hear it, is officially eight. The list as so far is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
Pluto was ousted as its shape does not conform with the "spherical shape due to atmospheric qualities" along with the inability to clear major objects from its orbit, such as Neptune. Pluto also exists within a region of solar system that has multiple planetiods (planet sized objects that do not conform to the new rules to be classified as planets but too large to be meteoroids or asteroids) called the Kuiper belt.
The kuiper belt is currently being studied and if all new objects were immediately considered planets then there would be a text book revision every two to three months. To prevent this, the International agencies involved reviewed and revisited their rules to defining a planet. This decision ousted Pluto by definition. Again, you can find many planet-like objects in the kuiper region, but they do not meet the new definition of a planet.
Mercury was also amost ousted as well due to the fact that its own atmosphere is almost gone due to being stripped away by the solar wind produced by the Sun. The fact is, the faint whisper of an atmosphere kept it in the list of planets that we have today. Its shape (although pock marked by asteriod collisions) is nearly spherical and helped maintain its status.
The region that we call the Asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter is also home to come planet like objects as well. but as they do not clear their path they cannot be considered for planethood either.
It will be interesting to see how things form up in the next few years. I read on an earlier question that someone refered that all planets have a circular orbit around the Sun and Pluto's is elliptical and they used this as proof. The astute mind would have known that all planet orbits are elliptical and have a apogee and a perogee and none are circular as this shape does not exist under natural laws (too many variable warp a planets orbit; ie the tug of war from planet and sun, the tugs from the moons, the warbling of a molten core, and extraplantal tugs from other planets cause the egg shaped orbits to exist). It just so happens that we present the circular orbits to teach the young minds about orbits to begin with.
2007-06-10 08:05:19 · answer #1 · answered by ShadowGate 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As of April 2007, we have dicovered about 218 exoplanets: planets outside our solar system, many are in our galaxy. Scientists find about 4 or 5 new exoplanets a month.
There are 8 planets in our solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Some qualifications for an atronomical body to be a planet it our solar system are size and an orbit around the sun.
Pluto is VERY small compared to our other planets and even some of the moons orbiting our planets (e.g. Ganymede, which would be a planet if it orbited the Sun instead of Jupiter). It also has a unique orbit and spends most of its time in the Kuiper belt, where there are other bodies bigger than Pluto. For these reasons, it was demoted from planet status.
Hope this helps.
2007-06-10 08:05:44 · answer #2 · answered by Katia V 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
8 PLANETS all you have to remember is
My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos!
What do you mean by original planets those 8 are the only accepted planets in our solar system there are no others. You are eather confused by moons and planets. Or confused by Solar System and Galaxy.
2007-06-10 08:07:54 · answer #3 · answered by Mr. Smith 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Despite your "Additional Details" the current correct answer is 8.
there are many many more planetlike objects but NONE of them are actually classified as a "Planet"
myabe your lack of understanding this is in your lack of understanding what the "Solar System" is. There are many many planets this is true. but all those beyond the aforementioned 8 planets are what is called extrasolar planets. Planets orbiting around OTHER stars... not orbiting our Sun.
2007-06-10 08:16:06 · answer #4 · answered by CG-23 Sailor 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Since Pluto is downgraded to a dwarf planet, it's eight (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune). Not in including asteroid and Kuiper belt objects.
2007-06-10 09:38:46 · answer #5 · answered by Derchin 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well there used to be 9 but they eliminated Pluto so now there is 8 (or at least supposed to be).
Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune (and also used to be Pluto)
2007-06-10 07:51:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Eight currently are defined as "planets". If you count Pluto and other similar sized objects, there are 12.
You are wrong. There are EIGHT objects in OUR solar system defined as planets. I assure you, there are not "many many more". Perhaps you shouldn't ask the question if you feel you know more than everyone else.
2007-06-10 07:43:46 · answer #7 · answered by jesse2337 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe those, "many, many more," of which you speak are planets that have been deduced by astronomers to exist in other solar systems.
2007-06-10 07:53:59 · answer #8 · answered by Mr. Bodhisattva 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nowadays that is not a common knowledge...better search for an official website...it seems the list is changing daily...poor Pluto...and www.iau.org disappeared too...very strange
2007-06-10 07:44:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are 8 now that Pluto was downgraded.
2007-06-10 07:41:34 · answer #10 · answered by They call me ... Trixie. 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋