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Will astro software now be revised .....
to reflect the new status of Pluto, as what?
hr |
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Will astro software now be revised .....
IAU Realty wrote: to reflect the new status of Pluto, as what? I shouldn't think so. If horticulture is any guide. Experts armed with modern DNA sequence matching are forever reclassifying species into more accurate groups with corresponding name changes, but in amateur circles the old species names still persist widely. And incidentally the defenders of the old order generate just as much heat and no light claiming that the status quo is somehow "better". It seems nobody likes change. Considering that the Victorian taxonomists worked on the basis of apparent similarity they did an incredible job, but the DNA matching method shows up many errors and unexpected close connections betwix unlikely candidates. I reckon it is excessively sentimental to keep Pluto as a planet. It is far too small and in a very elliptical orbit that crosses inside another genuine planets path. I reckon the definition that any self respecting planet should have its own home turf is a good one. YMMV Regards, Martin Brown |
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Will astro software now be revised .....
IAU Realty wrote: to reflect the new status of Pluto, as what? hr Hi: In what way? Pluto ain't going away physically. Nobody is proposing to get a tow truck and remove him from the Solar System. ;-) If there's any change required, it would be minor, like putting "(dwarf)" in his data page. Peace, Rod Mollise Author of: Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope and The Urban Astronomer's Guide http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland The Annual SCT User Imaging Contest is Underway! http://www.rothritter.com/contest/2006/ |
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Will astro software now be revised .....
"IAU Realty" wrote:
to reflect the new status of Pluto, as what? None of my astro software concerns itself with nouns. In any case, I may de-select "Pluto" under Display Solar System Objects... then, using the facility for user-defined objects, enter Pluto's orbital parameters and name the object "The Planet Pluto." Take that, IAU dynamicists! Davoud -- usenet *at* davidillig dawt com |
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Will astro software now be revised .....
RMOLLISE wrote:
IAU Realty wrote: to reflect the new status of Pluto, as what? hr Hi: In what way? Pluto ain't going away physically. Nobody is proposing to get a tow truck and remove him from the Solar System. ;-) If there's any change required, it would be minor, like putting "(dwarf)" in his data page. Exactly. Pluto isn't really a problem. It's the other minor solar system bodies that appear to involve a greater change. What I'm struggling with is what to do with the other dwarf planets in particular, and minor planets in general. Under the hood, the orbit of Pluto is handled in a completely different category from the other dwarf planets. So it isn't natural to have them in the same category from the user's perspective. Should we add dwarf planets to the planet group or move Pluto to the SSSO (SSSB?) (ick) group? Hmmm... And since "minor planets" are no more, what do we call them? Ok, fine, bring back the common term "asteroid." But should we really call a Kuiper Belt Object and asteroid? Probably not. So we likely need a way to discriminate between the KBOs and the asteroids, even though they are all in the same big list of orbit data. And what about the minor planet number? Like 1 Ceres? Is this now going to be called the Small Solar System Object/Body Number? And if the IAU no longer officially makes a distinction between comets and asteroids, then what? I really feel for the people at the minor planet center! I'm sure they either have a plan or will come up with one. But what to do in the meantime? Gareth? You listening? I think it a bit ironic that Pluto is getting all the attention just because "dwarf" has been put in front of "planet" when "minor planets" are now in chaos... If anyone knows where I can get a copy of the actual IAU resolution, I'd appreciate it. I can't seem to find it on their web site (you'd think it would be on the front page). Clear skies, Greg -- Greg Crinklaw Astronomical Software Developer Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m) SkyTools: http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html Observing: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html Comets: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html To reply take out your eye |
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Will astro software now be revised .....
RMOLLISE wrote:
IAU Realty wrote: to reflect the new status of Pluto, as what? hr Hi: In what way? Pluto ain't going away physically. Nobody is proposing to get a tow truck and remove him from the Solar System. ;-) If there's any change required, it would be minor, like putting "(dwarf)" in his data page. Peace, Rod Mollise Uncle Rod, That's *exactly* what I'm doing with RTGUI! Pluto the Dwarf... it's already in the new Beta! Of course, if you want to find "Ceres", it's still under "asteroids"....... |
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