BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Pluto moon 'has no atmosphere'

"A rare astronomical event has allowed scientists to show that Pluto's moon - known
as Charon - has no atmosphere.

This could dismiss claims Charon is a planet twinned with Pluto and provide further
insight into their formation."

More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4588628.stm
--
Nick in Northallerton
Also @ www.whelan.me.uk
And nickw7coc on
Yahoo & MSN
but I use http://www.trillian.cc as I like it better
also on Skype and Google talk

Nick said

"A rare astronomical event has allowed scientists to show that Pluto's
moon - known
as Charon - has no atmosphere.

This could dismiss claims Charon is a planet twinned with Pluto and
provide further
insight into their formation."

What has lack of atmosphere got to do with the definition of a Planet?

Am I mistaken in thinking that one of the prime tests for a 'twin'
planet system is that the barycentre is beyond the surface of both
bodies?

JG

On Sat, 14 Jan 2006 10:22:28 +0000, Nick
wrote:

"A rare astronomical event has allowed scientists to show that Pluto's moon - known
as Charon - has no atmosphere.

This could dismiss claims Charon is a planet twinned with Pluto and provide further
insight into their formation."

More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4588628.stm

Until I made a complaint to the BBC, this item actually said "A rare
astrological event".

I always thought that Pluto and Charon weren't planets just very large
asteroids that had fallen into orbit from the nearby asteroid belt

Mago


"Lord Summerisle" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 14 Jan 2006 10:22:28 +0000, Nick
wrote:

"A rare astronomical event has allowed scientists to show that Pluto's
moon - known
as Charon - has no atmosphere.

This could dismiss claims Charon is a planet twinned with Pluto and
provide further
insight into their formation."

More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4588628.stm

Until I made a complaint to the BBC, this item actually said "A rare
astrological event".