[meteorite-list] OT: HOW MANY PLANETS?

From: Sterling K. Webb <kelly_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Aug 3 18:14:26 2005
Message-ID: <42F1419F.E4E00FDC_at_bhil.com>

Hi, All,


    Brian Marsden, in the article below:
<http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/050802_planet_definition.html>

is quoted as saying if the Stern definition of a planet
were used (everything spherical that goes 'round its star
and doesn't fusion inside), we'd have 24 planets.
    Marsden himself says, "The only sensible solution is
to accept that the solar system contains the eight planets
known a century or so ago," Marsden said via email, "and
to add new members only if they are larger than, say, Mars
-- or maybe even the Earth."
    Of course, this way, Marsden, who's is charge of Minor
Planets gets to keep'em and add Pluto to his collection.
    Stern says of the Kuiper Belt, "It's really a
revolution," says Alan Stern of the Southwest Research
Institute. "We are finding out just how quaint our view of
the solar system was."
    My definition (everything spherical and bigger than
Ceres that goes around the sun), by excluding the four
large minor planets, would give us 20 planets.
    As for students and degree of difficulty, what makes
you think high school students learn ANYTHING anyway?
    Stern is on that IAU committee defining a planet, BTW.

    The IAU and astronomy generally have a dilemma,
though. How can you say that the massive 2003UB313 is NOT
a planet when the smaller Pluto IS?
    However, we've got time. It will be a while before we
get out there and have to found the Chamber of Commerce
and name the MacDonalds on SEDNA or QUOAOR... A little bar
down by the spaceport, "The Inn of the 37 Planets," or
call a subdivision "10th Planet Estates"! What if nobody
wants to LIVE on the 13th Planet? A lot of old office
buildings DON'T HAVE a 13th floor... 11, 12, 14, 15, 16...



Sterling Webb
------------------------
Received on Wed 03 Aug 2005 06:13:51 PM PDT