[meteorite-list] PLANET CERES AND THE 22ND CONSTELLATION OF THE ZODIAC

From: Sterling K. Webb <sterling_k_webb_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Aug 16 18:01:59 2006
Message-ID: <079301c6c17f$95bdf760$6b7f4b44_at_ATARIENGINE>

Dear List,


    Our old correspondent MexicoDoug ask me to
forward this message to the meteorite-list as he is
not subscribed but obviously still reading!
(I wondered where Doug had gotten to.)

Sterling K. Webb
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Sterling and List,
While everyone from the eyeballs inside Hubble telescope to Casey Station
enjoys this fun but and silly debate on what constitutes "the right stuff"
for being a Planet (can we do a better example for the kids and go back to
astronauts and more meaningful stuff), it is my pleasure to announce for
your viewing pleasure:

On August 11, the historical planet Ceres made its closest pass to Earth!
And then on August 12 at 09:15 UTC it registered its specific opposition to
the IAU and Earth in general. No doubt the Cererians argued before the
League of Astronomical Justice to make their case - such is a conspiracy the
IAU has gotten involved itself doing. Not only is Ceres a planet now...it is
a "superior planet". Thus we can observe wonderful Ceres as She leaves
opposition (opposition vs. the Sun actually from Earth's perspective which
gives the best views) now as a full fledged Superior Planet. Most minor
planets are superior of course...and I'm sure Brian Marsden knew that.

While Ceres's day in the Sun's Limelight for Earthlings is a few days past -
that is- the day you can unclothe your eyes and try an almost naked look for
the fertile goddess Ceres, she continues today at about 7.64 magnitude - a
very easy binocular target for peeping astronomers. (A brightness which
place her between Uranus, a naked eye target planet missed by the ancients
at least in recognition as a wanderer, and the dimmer Neptune. Hurrah for
the third Woman Planet!!!

If you happen to view from just the right place (The ISS in the dark, and
with an acute 9-year old's vision accompanying you, maybe?), you might spy
her, the superior planet Ceres, this week in the Constellation Piscis
Australis at about magnitude of 7.62 (at close approach). Normally this
brightness is three times dimmer than any normal Earthling can detect with
their unaided eyes. Piscis Australis is not one of the zodiacal
constellations (though in mythology it is the father of the Pisces that
are). It's hooked "sharing" the bright Star Fomalhaut with Aquarius's water
jug and borders Capricornus...The Moon and other traditional planets haven't
tread in Piscis Australis since the conceptualization of the constellations
as far as I can tell, so there will now be 22 constellations in the zodiac
for the wanderers, instead of 21...and probably a few more as we inventory
the constellations. I wonder what the ancients would have said about our
expanding the zodiac while we are at it. Maybe Chris is right, the
"committee" hasn't heeded much of history in it's IMO pseudoscientific
quest. Well, no doubt it will be doomed to repeat itself in the next orbit
as the sky is thankfully quite resistant to then present bureaucracy and
filled with other wonders we can dedicate our time more efficiently
exploring.

Yet, an arguable common wisdom has left the zodiac with its traditional and
only 12 constellations, as sure as Pluto will continue to rise in Ophiuchus,
together with the Sun and Venus on November 30, 2006...both rising also in
Ophiuchus nicely aligned with Mercury, Mars and Jupiter nearby watching the
latest snake trying for a bite of the zooIAUc.

Saludos, Doug

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Received on Wed 16 Aug 2006 06:01:53 PM PDT