12 Planets?

[JLMACN]

This lineup shows the 12 proposed planets, with a wedge of the sun at far left. Ceres, Pluto, Charon and 2003 UB313 are barely visible. The planets are drawn to scale, but without correct relative distances.

By Robert Roy Britt
Senior science writer

Updated: 1:00 a.m. CT Aug 16, 2006
The tally of planets in our solar system would jump instantly to a dozen under a highly controversial new definition proposed by the International Astronomical Union.

Eventually, there would be hundreds of planets, as more round objects are found beyond Neptune.

The proposal, which sources tell Space.com is gaining broad support, tries to plug a big gap in astronomy textbooks, which have never had a formal definition for the word "planet." It addresses discoveries of Pluto-sized worlds that have in recent years pitched astronomers into heated debates over terminology.

- The asteroid Ceres, which is round, would be recast as a dwarf planet in the new scheme.

- Pluto would remain a planet, and its moon Charon would be reclassified as a planet. Both would be called "plutons," however, to distinguish them from the eight "classical" planets.

- A far-out Pluto-sized object known as 2003 UB313, currently nicknamed Xena, would also be called a pluton.

That would make Caltech researcher Mike Brown, who found 2003 UB313, formally the discoverer of the 12th planet. But he thinks it's a lousy idea.

"It's flattering to be considered discoverer of the 12th planet," Brown said in a telephone interview. He applauded the committee's efforts but said the overall proposal is "a complete mess." By his count, the definition means there are already 53 known planets in our solar system, with countless more to be discovered.

Brown and another expert said the proposal, being put forth Wednesday at the IAU General Assembly meeting in Prague, is not logical. For example, Brown said, it does not make sense to consider Ceres and Charon planets and not call our moon (which is bigger than
both) a planet.

IAU members will vote on the proposal on Aug. 24. Its fate is far from clear.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14364833/?GT1=8404

something I found interesting..

5000

 

[Stealth]

Cool article. I just spent most of the time staring at the sizes of the planets in comparison with everything else. Imagine how travel would be if we lived on Jupiter.

 

[Fucky McFuckerson]

He does have a good point...the moon is considered a "satelite planet" to Earth....so they would have to rename all the "satelite planets" that surround the other planets....

And damn...i had no idea Jupiter was so friggin big....to think there are no other living beings in the universe is crazy....just imagine what could be living on that big ass bitch!

 

[Stealth]

^^ Or living inside of it

 

[ColdBlooded]

they should have just removed Pluto

 

[crazy707]

Yeah, I just read that a few minutes ago. Crazy

 

[Dark Shadow]

having Ceres as a planet is bullshit its a damn asteroid.

I'M CONFUSED, SO CHARON, WHICH IS PLUTO'S MOON IS A PLANET??...NOW, IS CHARON ORBITING AROUND PLUTO, LIKE OUR MOON??...OR IS IT ORBITING AROUND THE SUN??

Pluto is the only planet to rotate synchronously with the orbit of its satellite. Thus being tidally locked, Pluto and Charon continuously face each other as they travel through space.

 

[Hutch]

^^ agree, if they started calling Ceres a planet, I'd lose all faith in astronomy. I think they should stop fucking with it and let it be. I'd agree with ColdBlooded - if they have to kick Pluto out of the classification to maintain order, then I'd suggest they do that.

Jupiter may be huge but nothing could ever live on it! Not only is it composed almost purely of hydrogen, both in gaseous and liquidous forms, but the sheer size would crush us to smitherines (the gravitational pull would be so great that, whereas I normally weight 87kg on Earth, i would weight 27.6 tonnes on Jupiter). Surface temperatures are usually 100 degrees celsius below zero (150 kelvin), and some of the storms are bigger than the whole of Earth and have ferocious winds of up to 600km/h. If you're looking for life in our solar system, I definitely wouldn't start with Jupiter!

 

[BoMbTrEeS2]

^^ agree, if they started calling Ceres a planet, I'd lose all faith in astronomy. I think they should stop fucking with it and let it be. I'd agree with ColdBlooded - if they have to kick Pluto out of the classification to maintain order, then I'd suggest they do that.

Jupiter may be huge but nothing could ever live on it! Not only is it composed almost purely of hydrogen, both in gaseous and liquidous forms, but the sheer size would crush us to smitherines (the gravitational pull would be so great that, whereas I normally weight 87kg on Earth, i would weight 27.6 tonnes on Jupiter). Surface temperatures are usually 100 degrees celsius below zero (150 kelvin), and some of the storms are bigger than the whole of Earth and have ferocious winds of up to 600km/h. If you're looking for life in our solar system, I definitely wouldn't start with Jupiter!

dam im from the U.S. could u put those numbers in pounds, fahrenhite, and miles per hour

 

[Hutch]

lmao - when will you all finally decide to move to metric?
My weight on Earth = 200lbs, Jupiters gravity equivalent to 63,400lbs;
150 degrees kelvin = -110 degrees celsius = -166 degrees farenheit;
600km/h = 373mph

I've just spent the last hour looking at those space photos on MSNBC, I can't believe we've taken such detailed photos of Mars and Saturns moons!

 

[BoMbTrEeS2]

4real the U.S. should switch but atleast we use the metric when we buy/sell drugs tho haha not that i know anything about that subject

 

[Hutch]

classic - of course you don't, what with a name like bombtrees?

 

[BoMbTrEeS2]

oh shit i forgot haha i been smokin to many of them i guess dam

 

[Slide]

Astronomy is some of the most amazing shit ever. It is sad to think that one day humans will rape all of those peaceful, untouched worlds just like we have with this one. That is, if we don't wipe each other out first.

 

[Hutch]

There aren't many things in this world more amazing than astronomy - just think of the sizes and scales involved and then consider that we're not just talking huge objects and distances but unimaginable beauty. Just check out the photos on the NASA site or any other astronomy sites - nebulae and galaxies, planets and stars, our own sun and moon, even the Earth from space, it truly boggles the mind.

 

[JLMACN]

TSSSSSSSSSSS HAAAAAAAAAA YEA JUPITER IS A JOVIAN PLANET ALL THE LAST 4 ARE THEY ARE JUST GAS GIANTS THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SOLID CORE ALTHOUGH THERE IS SOME THEORIES THAT THEY DO

IF THERE IS ONE PLACE TO LOOK FOR LIFE IN OUR SOLAR SYTEM IT IS A MOON CALLED EUROPA I'M PRETTY SURE ITS JUPITERS MOON I FORGOT BUT IF I'M WRONG THEN I'TS SATURNS BUT ASTRONAMERS BELEIVE UNDER THE ICY SURFACE ON THAT MOON THAT THERE IS AN UNDERGROUND OCEAN THAT WOULD HARVEST LIFE BUT THIS IS JUST A THEORY AND IS THE BEST AND FIRST PLACE TO LOOK FOR LIFE

do you have a link about this?

or somewhere I can find some info regarding this...


5000

 

[Dark Shadow]

IF THERE IS ONE PLACE TO LOOK FOR LIFE IN OUR SOLAR SYTEM IT IS A MOON CALLED EUROPA I'M PRETTY SURE ITS JUPITERS MOON I FORGOT BUT IF I'M WRONG THEN I'TS SATURNS BUT ASTRONAMERS BELEIVE UNDER THE ICY SURFACE ON THAT MOON THAT THERE IS AN UNDERGROUND OCEAN THAT WOULD HARVEST LIFE BUT THIS IS JUST A THEORY AND IS THE BEST AND FIRST PLACE TO LOOK FOR LIFE

Yea i saw that on tv like 5 years ago

http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/europa/

 

[JLMACN]

^^^good looks!

5000

 

[MEXCOM]

Well, Pluto is now officially not a planet.

 

[Hutch]

Well, Pluto is now officially not a planet.

Maybe they listened to ColdBlooded and myself;

they should have just removed Pluto

I'd agree with ColdBlooded - if they have to kick Pluto out of the classification to maintain order, then I'd suggest they do that.

Funny this, the minute I heard that Pluto was no longer a planet, my mother was upset because 'it throws astrology way out of tune' (if there is no Pluto, then what effect would a 'non-existant' planet have during your birth if it is in the third quadrant?). Shows how much of astrology is based on reality.