[AZ-Observing] Re: Planets
- From: <jimmy_ray@xxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 12:35:53 -0700
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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