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Silly question - is Pluto "a planet" or not ???



 
 
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  #11  
Old September 20th 03, 09:04 PM
Bright Star
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Pluto IS a planet. Maybe it's not that big of a planet but it be kind of
dumb & pointless to say otherwise when most people believe it is.




  #12  
Old October 11th 03, 09:23 AM
Painius
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"Phyloe" wrote in message...
...

wrote in message
...

perhaps a very silly question...

a while ago, there was a move to downgrade
the status of Pluto - from "planet" to "minor body"

I was told today that it was now "definitive",
and astronomers no longer call it a planet

so, what *is* the current statue of Pluto ???


I understand that Pluto is smaller than the Moon. Perhaps the Moon should
be considered a planet. What would the Earth Moon combo be considered?
Phyloe


'Lo Phyloe and Noname --

Not a silly question at all--in fact this has been an important
question for over 30 years!

The short answer is that Pluto's current status is that it is
still classified as a planet with one moon, called "Charon"
(KAY-run).

As for our own Moon, Phyloe, its official classification is
still that of "Earth's only natural satellite." However, there
are many people--including the late Isaac Asimov--who
consider our Moon to be a planet in its own right. And
this would make the "Earth Moon combo" a binary planet
system.

To understand better why there is such a controversy
about the planet Pluto, try to get hold of a copy of one of
Isaac Asimov's articles named...

The Incredible Shrinking Planet

In it, Asimov tells how when Pluto was first discovered,
astronomers believed that it was another HUGE gas
giant like Uranus and Neptune. And over the years the
evidence mounted up that Pluto was not so big.

As Pluto's small size became clearer and clearer, some
people began to say that it shouldn't be listed as a planet.
Then when Kuiper Belt Objects (KBO) were discovered,
this added fuel to the debate. It would be a lot easier for
scientists to study the KBO data if Pluto and Charon were
classified as KBOs rather than a planet with moon.

While most scientists appear to lean toward Pluto's
keeping its classification as a planet, and toward our own
Moon's NOT being listed as a planet, i myself lean the
other way in both cases. While Asimov agreed that our
Moon should be listed as a planet, he didn't go along with
changing Pluto's status. BUT, Asimov was not aware of
KBOs. Had he known about KBOs, Isaac Asimov might
have changed his mind.

If you cannot find a copy of his article, don't be too
concerned. I have a copy and will write an article titled...

*PLUTO* - from Gas Giant to Comet Wannabee

You are invited to read this at your leisure!

happy days and...
starry starry nights!

--
Do you have yourself a dream?
Are you burning with desire?
If no dream, you have no steam
To fan your ember into fire!
Do you have yourself a dream?

Paine Ellsworth



  #13  
Old October 11th 03, 09:23 AM
Painius
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Phyloe" wrote in message...
...

wrote in message
...

perhaps a very silly question...

a while ago, there was a move to downgrade
the status of Pluto - from "planet" to "minor body"

I was told today that it was now "definitive",
and astronomers no longer call it a planet

so, what *is* the current statue of Pluto ???


I understand that Pluto is smaller than the Moon. Perhaps the Moon should
be considered a planet. What would the Earth Moon combo be considered?
Phyloe


'Lo Phyloe and Noname --

Not a silly question at all--in fact this has been an important
question for over 30 years!

The short answer is that Pluto's current status is that it is
still classified as a planet with one moon, called "Charon"
(KAY-run).

As for our own Moon, Phyloe, its official classification is
still that of "Earth's only natural satellite." However, there
are many people--including the late Isaac Asimov--who
consider our Moon to be a planet in its own right. And
this would make the "Earth Moon combo" a binary planet
system.

To understand better why there is such a controversy
about the planet Pluto, try to get hold of a copy of one of
Isaac Asimov's articles named...

The Incredible Shrinking Planet

In it, Asimov tells how when Pluto was first discovered,
astronomers believed that it was another HUGE gas
giant like Uranus and Neptune. And over the years the
evidence mounted up that Pluto was not so big.

As Pluto's small size became clearer and clearer, some
people began to say that it shouldn't be listed as a planet.
Then when Kuiper Belt Objects (KBO) were discovered,
this added fuel to the debate. It would be a lot easier for
scientists to study the KBO data if Pluto and Charon were
classified as KBOs rather than a planet with moon.

While most scientists appear to lean toward Pluto's
keeping its classification as a planet, and toward our own
Moon's NOT being listed as a planet, i myself lean the
other way in both cases. While Asimov agreed that our
Moon should be listed as a planet, he didn't go along with
changing Pluto's status. BUT, Asimov was not aware of
KBOs. Had he known about KBOs, Isaac Asimov might
have changed his mind.

If you cannot find a copy of his article, don't be too
concerned. I have a copy and will write an article titled...

*PLUTO* - from Gas Giant to Comet Wannabee

You are invited to read this at your leisure!

happy days and...
starry starry nights!

--
Do you have yourself a dream?
Are you burning with desire?
If no dream, you have no steam
To fan your ember into fire!
Do you have yourself a dream?

Paine Ellsworth



 




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