NASA official : ‘Pluto is a planet’

Discussion in 'Astronomy, Exobiology, & Cosmology' started by dumbest man on earth, Aug 26, 2019.

  1. dumbest man on earth Real Eyes Realize Real Lies Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,523
    https://www.rt.com/news/467312-nasa-administrator-pluto-still-planet/

    " ‘Pluto is a planet’: NASA official risks sparking science civil war with controversial declaration
    Published time: 26 Aug, 2019 13:53


    One brave NASA administrator is refusing to bow to the prevailing scientific consensus, and is risking potential ostracization or, worse still, online ridicule, for proudly declaring that “Pluto is a planet.”
    Saturday, August 24, 2019 marked 13 years to the day since Pluto was demoted from having the status of a planet to being assigned that of a dwarf planet, by the International Astronomical Union (our solar system’s resident’s association of scientific fuddy-duddies).

    But now, in what history may record as either a brave call to arms, beseeching the scientific community to band together against the tyranny of the IAU or, more likely, an off-the-cuff, likely tongue-in-cheek remark, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine had declared his unwavering belief that Pluto is indeed a planet. “I’m sticking by that, it’s the way I learned it and I’m committed to it,”Bridenstine boldly declared.
    ...
    Proponents of the restoration of Pluto’s planetary status point to its multilayered atmosphere, the presence of organic compounds on its surface, the fact that it has weather, avalanches, plutoquakes and possibly even liquid oceans, in addition to its own moons, as more than sufficient evidence of its rightful place among the stars. "
    more @ https://www.rt.com/news/467312-nasa-administrator-pluto-still-planet/

    So...
    Is Pluto a Planet?
    A Dwarf Planet?
    Should full Planetary status be restored to Pluto?
    Issue?
    Non-Issue?
     
  2. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  3. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    It will always be the 9th planet for me.
     
    sideshowbob likes this.
  4. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  5. dumbest man on earth Real Eyes Realize Real Lies Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,523
    Et tu, DaveC426913?
     
  6. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  7. Engell79 Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    110
    Call it what ever you whant,,..... overgrown astroid...drawf planet... planet...... Rock-far-awaye.....

    Its PLUTO what ever its called... and im pretty sure if pluto has some sort of inhabitants, they dont give a RATS-behind... what Earthlings call it... not that any microscopic bactiria would.
     
  8. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    ?
    Didn't I just answer?
     
  9. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    7,057
    A dwarf human is still a human - and it's considered rude to dwell on the dwarf part.
     
  10. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    Good point.
    "This room has eight humans and one dwarf human."

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  11. Gawdzilla Sama Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,864
    It's been the 9th planet since the Interplanetary Patrol first visited it.
     
  12. Janus58 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,394
    "Planet" is an arbitrary label, and it's not as if it confers any special rights or privileges: "I'm sorry sir, but we can not let you in, this is a private member's club for 'planets' only".

    So I really don't see the rational behind the statement that Pluto was "demoted" from planet. It's not like it was some type of embarrassment to be re-classified as a dwarf planet after having the more prestigious status of planet.
     
  13. paddoboy Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    27,543
    I feel somewhat exactly the same. We have red Dwarf stars, they are still stars.
    I reckon the IAU apparently "manufactured " a brand new aspect that would define a planet. Pluto apparently fails this final aspect. The usual garden variety defining aspects were [1] Orbit the Sun. [2] Enough gravity to form a sphere. [3] The additional bit that was the point in getting Pluto demoted to Dwarf, was that it should dominate its orbital neighbourhood. Obviously any planet that far out is going to have a far larger neighbourhood to dominate.

    On another forum, I had a similar debate as to where the solar system ends and interstellar space begins. Voyager 1 having left the heliosphere, [the region of space, encompassing the solar system, in which the solar wind has a significant influence and shields it from interstellar radiation]
    The opposing view attempting to "question" that being the boundary of the solar system, claiming it was rather where gravitational effects become nil. Of course as we know in theory, one would need to travel to infinity to reach that point.
     
  14. Janus58 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,394
    You could define it as the distance where an object would no longer orbit the Sun: the extend of the Sun's hill sphere.
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2019
  15. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    Would that not be different for every system? Even systems of the same mass? (because each system has a different set of neighbors pulling at it)

    Also, is that not a circular argument?
    I mean, if it's not orbiting a sun, then it's not part of that system anyway.
    And if it is, orbiting a sun then that includes .. .every object orbiting said sun.
     
  16. paddoboy Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    27,543
    That though could alter, depending on any approaches by other astronomical bodies. eg: Barnard's Star will be only 3.75 L/years away in about 10,000 years. And we can also take that approach with the Earth/Moon system system.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_sphere
    "In more precise terms, the Hill sphere approximates the gravitational sphere of influence of a smaller body in the face of perturbations from a more massive body. It was defined by the American astronomer George William Hill, based on the work of the French astronomer Édouard Roche. For this reason, it is also known as the Roche sphere (not to be confused with the Roche limit or Roche Lobe)."

    The magnetic bubble as stipulated by the solar wind, and the interstellar median, is a far more valid boundary of the solar system.
     
  17. dumbest man on earth Real Eyes Realize Real Lies Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,523
    Did not mean to cause you such consternation, DaveC426913.

    Just a riff/play on the phrase : "Et tu ,Brute".

    As in : you too, DaveC426913?

    In that because of my age, upbringing, prior education or whatever - I will always consider Pluto as the 9th Planet...also...no matter what anyone, anywhere proposes otherwise!

    So, the "Et tu, DaveC426913?", was like 'you also' Dave..., or 'you likewise', Dave..., or...you too, DaveC426913?
     
  18. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,935
    Yeah I got the ref; I just read more into it: assuming you meant a betrayal.
     
  19. paddoboy Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    27,543
    From a link in the OP....
    https://www.rt.com/news/467312-nasa-administrator-pluto-still-planet/
    “I’m sticking by that, it’s the way I learned it and I’m committed to it,” Bridenstine boldly declared."

    Many things change as science inevitably progresses and improves with better observational data and experimental knowhow. In the early fifties Mercury was known as the smallest planet, not Pluto. Better observational data changed that false reality, but the reclassification of Pluto, while understanding the reasons for it, was superfluous imo and not really needed.
    But again, its too late now to create even more controversy and confusion, so my answers to the questions in the OP are....

    So...
    Is Pluto a Planet? Its a bloody planet!

    A Dwarf Planet? It's smaller then others.

    Should full Planetary status be restored to Pluto? That would add even more confusion...too late.
    Issue? No
    Non-Issue? Yes
     
  20. James R Just this guy, you know? Staff Member

    Messages:
    39,397
    If you want Pluto to be a planet, then you're probably going to have to accept that there are other planets as well as the other eight.

    Start with the recognised dwarf planets, for instance: Ceres, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake.

    It is estimated that there could be up to 200 objects in our solar neighbourhood that fit the classification "dwarf planet" that Pluto belongs in. If you insist on making Pluto special, you'll need to find some way to distinguish it from all of those.
     
  21. paddoboy Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    27,543
    I'm not disputing any of that...correct of course and as I said....
     
  22. Curious layman Registered Member

    Messages:
    42
    Planet for sure, I'm biased though, it's my favourite "planet".
     
  23. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    7,057
    There have been a lot of planets discovered lately in other systems and a lot more will be discovered from now on. I suppose a new definition of "planet" was needed mostly for reference to the "newcomers" and Pluto just happened to fall through the cracks.
     

Share This Page