Round and Orbity? Must Be a Planet
The elite society of nine lordly bodies of rock, ice and gas would grow to at least 12 and as many as 53 members under a new definition of "planet" proposed Tuesday by the International Astronomical Union.
The core of the definition? Planets are round. And they orbit a star.
It will be voted on next week by the group's general assembly, which is now meeting in Prague, Czech Republic. Binzel said he was optimistic the definition would be approved.
The new list of planets would include UB313, which was recently discovered beyond Pluto's orbit, as well as two bodies that have previously been rejected for planetary status: Pluto's moon Charon and Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Charon and Pluto would become the solar system's first double planet, meaning they twirl around each other but neither dominates. They would become part of a new subclass of planets called "plutons," defined as having orbits around the sun that take at least 200 years. There could be dozens more plutons added after the objects are further reviewed by the Astronomical Union. There are 12 awaiting evaluation.
Ceres would also become the sole member of a subclass called "dwarf planets."
It's also an open question how the new definition would be received by the public, who grew up with mobiles of the nine-planet solar system in their bedrooms and learning mnemonic devices to memorize the planets, such as "My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas."
It will be voted on next week by the group's general assembly, which is now meeting in Prague, Czech Republic. Binzel said he was optimistic the definition would be approved.
The new list of planets would include UB313, which was recently discovered beyond Pluto's orbit, as well as two bodies that have previously been rejected for planetary status: Pluto's moon Charon and Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Charon and Pluto would become the solar system's first double planet, meaning they twirl around each other but neither dominates. They would become part of a new subclass of planets called "plutons," defined as having orbits around the sun that take at least 200 years. There could be dozens more plutons added after the objects are further reviewed by the Astronomical Union. There are 12 awaiting evaluation.
Ceres would also become the sole member of a subclass called "dwarf planets."
It's also an open question how the new definition would be received by the public, who grew up with mobiles of the nine-planet solar system in their bedrooms and learning mnemonic devices to memorize the planets, such as "My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas."
For the record, Hottie Hubby thinks this is dumb.
When Pluto was demoted, though, we found this->
Which rocks.
When Pluto was demoted, though, we found this->
Which rocks.
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