[AZ-Observing] Re: Planets

Well with that settled, would it be too late to recall the New Horizons Probe? 
Seems a waste to have it answer a question that has been resolved and to spend 
that kind of money on something less than a real planet??? Please!!!!

BTW - Anyone know how to get Pluto out of the "Planets" section of a Celestron 
Nextstar? I need to move it over to the "insignificant space rubble" section...

Poor Percival! (Sorry flagstaff...)

Jimmy Ray 
---- Thom/TFW <mthomj@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: 
> http://www.iau2006.org/mirror/www.iau.org/iau0603/index.html
> IAU 2006 General Assembly: Result of the IAU Resolution votes
> 
> 24. August 2006, Prague
> 
> 
> 
> .....IAU Resolution: Definition of a Planet in the Solar System
> Contemporary observations are changing our understanding of planetary 
> systems, and it is important that our nomenclature for objects reflect our 
> current understanding. This applies, in particular, to the designation 
> 'planets'. The word 'planet' originally described 'wanderers' that were known 
> only as moving lights in the sky. Recent discoveries lead us to create a new 
> definition, which we can make using currently available scientific 
> information.
> 
> RESOLUTION 5A
> The IAU therefore resolves that "planets" and other bodies in our Solar 
> System be defined into three distinct categories in the following way:
> 
> (1) A "planet"1 is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) 
> has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so 
> that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (c) has 
> cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.
> 
> (2) A "dwarf planet" is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, 
> (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so 
> that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape2 , (c) has not 
> cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit, and (d) is not a satellite.
> 
> (3) All other objects3 except satellites orbiting the Sun shall be referred 
> to collectively as "Small Solar-System Bodies". 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 1The eight planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, 
> and Neptune.
> 2An IAU process will be established to assign borderline objects into either 
> dwarf planet and other categories.
> 3These currently include most of the Solar System asteroids, most 
> Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs), comets, and other small bodies.
>
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