Thread: Definition of a planet
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Old June 13th 06, 01:23 PM posted to sci.space.policy,sci.astro.amateur,sci.astro,alt.astronomy
Eugene Griessel
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Default Definition of a planet
wrote:

Stephen Colbourne writes:

With this set to be finalised fairly soon in September 2006 I think it
is essential that a few sensible parameters are added.

1) A body in orbit around a star.

2) Size must be larger than Pluto ( or another agreed specified size
and mass) to give a minimum size UNLESS extra-terrestial life is found
on the planet when a much smaller size would be allowed.

The problem with any definition that relies on size is that we don't
know the sizes of newly discovered objects in the outer Solar System.
Heck, the size of Pluto wasn't even known until the late 1980s.

In any case the definition has been altered a number of times since it
meant a visible "wandering" star.


Eugene L Griessel

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