[meteorite-list] Astronomers Lean Toward Eight Planets

From: Impactika_at_aol.com <Impactika_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Aug 23 19:03:32 2006
Message-ID: <4aa.16426f4.321e38bc_at_aol.com>

In a message dated 8/23/2006 4:38:36 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,
sterling_k_webb_at_sbcglobal.net writes:

2. I firmly agree with Ron Baalke (who's a Pro-Eight) that
the cultural component of this dispute is a major, maybe THE
major, consideration. This a great "opportunity" to make science
look silly to the populace, something we really don't need
right now. Once formed, public perception is hard to change.
What we have to decide is what makes science look sillier,
or less silly.
--------------------------------------------------------------
 
I have been reading all those posts about the 8 - 9 - 12 - 1000000000
planets, and trying to make sense out of it.
 
Yes, the cultural component is a major consideration.
>From the time I was a little girl going to the Planetarium in Paris, I was
taught that a Planet was a sphere orbiting the Sun. And that there were 9 of
them. There could be more, we simply didn't know enough to tell one way or the
other. And the masses that weren't round? they were Asteroids. Period. And
that covered the whole thing. No discussion as to composition, angle of the
orbit, number of moons, or distance from the Sun.
 
To me that still covers it. And that makes perfect sense. Regardless of
numbers.

Now why can't the members of the IAU see it that way? aren't they simply
lacking Common Sense?
 
Vox Populi.

Anne M. Black
www.IMPACTIKA.com
IMPACTIKA_at_aol.com
President, I.M.C.A. Inc.
www.IMCA.cc
 
Received on Wed 23 Aug 2006 07:03:24 PM PDT