Pluto has been officially pwn'd

[Linkachu]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned this yet. Its kinda... uh... big, for Astronomy nuts like me anyways.

Pluto gets the boot

Yeah, this is news from a few weeks ago, but since it was virtually ignored around here I think its worth mentioning.

Pluto is no longer a planet. And its about freakin' time. For ages now I've been on the side arguing against its planetary-hood, so while I do feel a bit sad to be saying farewell to our 9th planet I'm also happy that they finally re-defined the definition of what makes a planet "a planet".

And here it is:

"a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a ... nearly round shape, and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit."

Pluto didn't make the grade, and neither would Ceres now or the controversial UB313, aka. "Xena".

But Pluto isn't just being tossed away to the abyss. A brand new class for celestial bodies has been created called "dwarf planets". As quoted from an article on the International Astronomical Union (IAU) website:

It was agreed that "planets" and "dwarf planets" are two distinct classes of objects. The first members of the "dwarf planet" category are Ceres, Pluto and 2003 UB313 (temporary name). More "dwarf planets" are expected to be announced by the IAU in the coming months and years. Currently a dozen candidate "dwarf planets" are listed on IAU's "dwarf planet" watchlist, which keeps changing as new objects are found and the physics of the existing candidates becomes better known.

According to wikipedia, the defintion of 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) shape. (c) has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit, and (d) is not a satellite."

Also not to be ignored is that a second new category was created to define certain objects that can not be classed as planets or dwarf planets: "All other objects orbiting the Sun shall be referred to collectively as "Small Solar System Bodies" ... These currently include most of the Solar System asteroids, most Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs), comets, and other small bodies."

I personally find all of this really cool. Text books world 'round need to be changed, astronomy courses will need to be tweaked, and it'll lead to even more interesting debates. But best of all... Teachers will need to start teaching their students new rhymes to remember all the planets

 

[Yoshimitsu]

Apparently, they're re-re-assessing Pluto. Out of the 2000 people who were supposed to debate, only 200 turned up. =p

 

[Prof. Cinders]

Damn, no more "p" for "planets" in my rhyme... It makes no sense! "My Very Efficient Memory Just Stores Up Nine-" Anyways, yeah, this is pretty kewl news, although for me it wasn't too important but interesting from a physics-orientated point of view. Of course, I only just discovered yesterday that the Earth has more than just one moon (apparently there's one with an incredibly elliptical orbit round us), and that kids should be taught the truth as young as possible, so that secondary schools don't have to fix the damage. Not that that's relelvant. Wow, I'm in a rambling mood.

Pluto was always evil anyways >.>

 

[Yoshimitsu]

Mine was better.

"My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas"

can be shortened to

"My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Noodles"

 

[Linkachu]

Apparently, they're re-re-assessing Pluto. Out of the 2000 people who were supposed to debate, only 200 turned up. =p

Where'd you hear that at? o.O Everything I've read paints a very different picture. I think people just want to hang onto the hope that it'll regain its status but I hope it bloody well doesn't. Ever. Silly clingy people

Anyways... if I had a rhyme in the past, I have no clue what it is now ^^; Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. I just have 'em memorized in order :O

 

[Doctor Oak]

Pluto was never, still isn't, and never shall be a planet. It was crazy to call it one in the first place.

The best theory I've heard about Pluto is that it's simply a moon for Neptune that was knocked off it's orbit at some point (Which may also have something to do with as to why Neptune rotates at an unusual Axis) and was caught by the Sun's gravity into another orbit - also explaining why Pluto's orbit is so out of whack.

Also, dunno why anyone needed a rhyme to remember the planets. I've known it off by heart since I was a kid and never needed a rhyme for it.

 

[Sem]

Yeah, heard this a few days after the report came out. I'm pretty much ok with it as I don't care wether it's a planet or not...

Sem never needed a ryme either... Even though rymes are cool... >->

 

[Lunareon]

ii never really cared much 4 it all i new was it was on a test to remember the planets

 

[Yoshimitsu]

Your rhymes all suck. Mine has noodles.

 

[daxx0r]

I'm kind of an astronomy nut too, and personally I was quite saddened when I heard (and just after the delightful news of us being bumped up to 12 planets ) about Pluto's demotion. Now I know it's small and by many people's standards (surprisingly many in this forum) it's too small to be a planet, but to be frank, Pluto's status as a planet is cultural and historical; not merely scientific. It's been a planet since it was first discovered and should remain so. Nevertheless, since they've decided against it, I like the idea of it being a dwarf-planet. It's kind of a compromise (and it sounds pretty neat too).

 

[Lunareon]

yea the dwarf planet idea is kinda cool

 

[Weavile]

Um, I'm new, I read the rules and such, and I don't know if I'm messing up, but, Pluto not being a planet scares me. We need a planet to make fun of!! Also, It makes me think that Pluto might eventually crash into all other planets because my Science Teacher told me that about, meh, yesterday and about a huge astroid belt near our galaxy or something like that, I don't know, I have a bad memory.

 

[Linkachu]

Pluto's status as a planet is cultural and historical; not merely scientific.

I can somewhat agree. It's fine and dandy to say that "Pluto was never a planet" but a planet is what we define it as. Originally, Pluto made the cut, so that's exactly what it was (and I probably will consider it the "former planet" as long as I live). But now it doesn't, and people will just have to accept it. Astronomy is one of the most frequently changing science's there is, so I see this as nothing but a step in the right direction.

Don't forget that Ceres at one time was also considered a planet. Now nobody would ever view it as one.

 

[Weavile]

I still think of Pluto of a planet, actually, Just an asteriod/planet thing. So, I just think of it as a planet that might, one day, go flying into the Sun and get destroyed, until that happens, Pluto is a planet to me. Even if it goes out of this solar system. Ok, now I'm just going crazy.

 

[Linkachu]

Ok, now I'm just going crazy.

lol. You'll fit right in then

Don't worry. Pluto has always had an oval-shaped orbit, and I wouldn't worry about it flying off anywhere anytime soon. Besides, it's light years away from us and the Sun. We're much more likely to be hit by a stray asteriod from the asteriod belt (located between Mars and Jupiter). Not that you needed more things to worry about ^^;

 

[Doctor Oak]

Gamefreak certainly chose the right generation to make PLANETS their hook for the evil team .

I pity the poor bloke that has to be Pluto.

 

[Weavile]

I just dosed off while doing my homework, and then, I just though that, technology is messing up the solar system!! Pretty soon, We'll be drilling through Mars!!! Or am I just getting over execited? Still, First it's the weird planet behind Pluto. Then, it's Pluto...

 

[daxx0r]

Besides, it's light years away from us and the Sun.

Errr.... Are you talking about Pluto? I hope you meant that in a metaphorical sense

Well anyway, it's not so remarkable that we disowned Pluto... I mean it IS named after a cartoon dog ;D

 

[Sem]

COME, EVERYONE! Story time with Sem! Gather round and listen to my life-scarring encounter with a dog...

Twas a few years ago. It was the end of the school year and my class went to celebrate by going to Disneyland, California Adventure to be exact. We had had fun all day and my friends and I were at the meeting place waiting for everyone else. One of my friends wants to go get something from the gift shop. I said I would go too. I started walking and I just suddenly felt this presence. My friends called to me and told me to turn around. I did, only to be staring into the eyes of a large orange dog.

I jumped about two feet back, or so my friend says... It was Pluto the dog, come to reap my soul. He started walking towards me, his large head bobbing as he took steps. I broke out into a sprint only to hear large, stomping footsteps running behind me. I heard his breathing as I ran. Then, the unthinkable happened... I was hit by a large force as I ran, it was Pluto himself. The evil beast had effectively tackled me to the ground. I heard a laugh, then Pluto got off of me and walked off, ready to sign autographs and steal children's souls. I lay there on the hot cement, only hearing the howling laughter of my 'friends...' >->

That was the last time I've ever been to Disneyland, hopefully I wont go ever again... too many harsh memories...

*This has concluded story time with Sem.*

 

[Persian]

Gamefreak certainly chose the right generation to make PLANETS their hook for the evil team .

I pity the poor bloke that has to be Pluto.

Oooh, that could make for good fanfic moments. @_@

And Sem...that's a...nice...story? Where you got...tackled...by...a man in a dog-suit. -_-

But meh. I feel sorry for Pluto. 'Tis not a planet anymore...I'd rather have 12 planets than 8 planets, but I guess it's okay. *glomps the dwarf-planets* It's okay! I still luv you!

 

[Linkachu]

Errr.... Are you talking about Pluto? I hope you meant that in a metaphorical sense

lol. Yeah, but if you want the scientifically-correct response, it's about 40 AU from from the Sun, or about 6,000,000,000 km

 

[kimishiro]

Once upon a time there lived the happiest little moon named Pluto. He orbited around his big ol buddy Jupiter, but was shunned by his fellow moon brethren. This happy moon did not let that discourage him, no sir-ree, for he loved orbitting Jupiter. For you see, Pluto was Jupiter's most favoritist moon. Some of the other moons were jealous, but none were as jealous as Scurge. Scurge, happened to be the smallest of all the moons of Jupiter, and was also filled with the most angst. He seeked attention from the planet, but no matter what he did, he just couldn't get it.

One dark dark revolution, when the sun was hidden from Scurge, the ickle little moon came up with a plan. For the next few orbits, he began to shred away parts of his outter core, becoming even smaller in size but much much faster. Despite Scurge now being the fastest orbiting moon, he still could not get the attention he wanted to desparately. Of course, that was not the plan.

After building up enough speed, the jealous little moon slammed himself into Pluto as hard as he could. The force was so great, it knocked Pluto way out into space. What Scurge hadn't planned on, was being thrown out of orbit himself. The two opposing moons flew back in opposite directions. For poor little Pluto, though he was saved from the vast emptiness, he barely clung to the gravitational pull of the Sun. For the rest of his doomed life, he will remain a lonely planetless moon.

As for Scurge, he was thrust into the third planet from the sun. The collision wasn't massive enough to fling the Earth out of orbit, but it was enough to destroy 99% of the dinosaurs...

The end...?