Some astronomers have decided to demote Pluto and simply call it a Kuiper Belt object. What is your opinion. I personally see no harm in letting Pluto retain its planet status. Maybe the criteria for this classification should be size and distance. We might try using Pluto's farthest orbital distance as the limit for planetary classification. On the other hand I also don't see any harm in adding other planets to the list. After all we added moons to Jupiter and other Jovian planets as these moons were discovered and the numerical factor wasn't a deterrent.

I'm with you.

I see no benefit or harm to leaving it's designation a planet or calling it something else... so why they waste their time with such discussions is beyond me.

... except maybe someone's got plans to Tax Kuiper Belt Objects! :p

I agree with you too I don't see why they'd go and change its status. It has always been a planet to us human beings and I don't think it should be changed. Its not like a new planet is just going to appear.*s*

I think Pluto should remain as Mickey's pet :D

I am in agreement with all of you.

I see no harm allowing Pluto to remain a planet.

What bothers me is I suspect that the reason for this discussion is to get a government grant to fund the study so some bored academics can justify their existence.

Pluto is a Kuiper Belt object.
But Pluto has two moons itself.
(which have now been officially named.)

I think Pluto can be both a Kuiper Belt Object and a planet.

I think its going to cuse too much dang confusion and money to cahnge it.
Leave the thing be... **shakes head at my bad typing**

i agree with you too i dont see why they'd go and change its status. it has always been a planet to us human beings and i dont think it should be changed. its not like a new planet is just going to appear.*s*

Here is an article about the ongoing debate in reference to this issue.

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/planet_denitions_030227.html

I just thought I would tell you that I just heard on the news that it is official... today, Pluto, is no longer a planet.

I just don't get it.

I just thought I would tell you that I just heard on the news that it is official...today, Pluto, is no longer a planet.

I just don't get it.

CTV Calgary?

I heard the same news today too.

It is silly. It is one thing for all the rest of the planets, but we have 9 planets in our solar system, why get rid of Pluto?

So now Pluto is being called a “dwarf planet”.

So why they can’t say we still have 9…

I don't know... they said something about adding another 3 planets to the set of nine. Instead of doing that they opted to kick Pluto out. I don't really get their reasoning.

I will have to go back and read more of the posts and look into it.

see what happens when you take away funding for their particle accelerators ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

a bunch of angry physicists with pent up anger picking on little planetoid-like thingies. =)

bet that was the convention of the year.

(ok I'm a chemist... I don't have a lot of room to poke fun, but some!)

Think of all the books and videos that are now "wrong"... :)

Although I am sure there will be no shortage new books and videos showing us the "new" solar system.

;)

Looks like its now official, Pluto has been demoted to puppy.:(

I taught my kids how to remember the planets

"My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas"

Now what is she going to serve us if the Pizzas are gone? :rolleyes:

Nachos!! That's the ticket!!

I taught my kids how to remember the planets

"My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas"

Now what is she gonna serve us if the Pizzas are gone? :rolleyes:

Nachos!!! That's the ticket!!!!

that's a great way to memorize... and nachos works!


not to mention it makes more sense than the old method for memorizing the 10 cranial nerves (only med people can appreciate this!)

On Old Olympic Towering Tops A Finn And German Viewed Some Hops...

olfactory, optic, ocululomotor, trochlear, trigeminal, abducens, facial, auditory (vestibulocochlear), glossopharyngeal, vagal, spinal accessory, hypoglossal.

=P =P =P =P =P =P =P =P =P =P =P =P =P =P =P =P =P

Thanks for the A&P lesson...

I never could remember that one!!

I think I'll go have Nachos for lunch since the Pizzas are gone now.

Or Noodles!!

I just thought I would tell you that I just heard on the news that it is official...today, Pluto, is no longer a planet.

I just don't get it.

At least it's not something as drastic as changing the entire universe concept like they did when they shifted from geocentric to heliocentric.
Now THAT really had to be mind-boggling! Then later they changed the universe from heliocentric and said it was composed only of the Milky way galaxy with our sun merely one of billions of other stars circling the galactic hub. Then later with better telescopes they saw other galaxies and again had to tell people to change their concept based on what they had previously said and to now see the Milky Way as just a member of a local cluster of galaxies which itself was merely a member of a supercluster.

I wouldn't be surprised to have them discover a huge planet in the Kuiper belt and having them add it to the regular ones.

Oh my goodness Starman. I had no idea they changed things all of the time. I guess I should be grateful. It's nice to know that the world is actually round. I guess things change... urrr... I guess we just learn the truth... urrr... what we think is the new truth...

Look... the post that said its always been a planet to us humans is wrong. Its been recognized as a planet for a couple generations.

Second... this is how science works folks! Thre was a time when "life force" was the underlying thing that make living things live. Dna was not recognized or known (in term of its genetic function) past two generations ago. Physics was a "dead science" at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. The textbook I have from 10 years ago are largely outdated and in some cases incorrect in their assumptions. One book I have says enzymes are proteins. Now there are other macrobiologicals that are seen as having enzymatic activity.

While there are some potential issues with the "cleared its orbit" statement, if this helps better organize the systematic nomenclature and organization (which is a hallmark of all areas of science) then fine. Stick around long enough. It'll probably change again sometime when more knowledge is gained.

And, I hate to say it, but I R E A L L Y doubt it'll screw my kid up to have to explain that the classification of planets now excludes pluto, or relegates it to a lower class.

Again, if anything, this is the way dynamic science works. Or what a bunch of bored astronomers do for gits and shiggles.

this is how science works folks!

I agree but I also find it a little ironic. Science keeps changing it's mind, I know it's because we are always learning new things and gaining new technology, but it is hard to keep up.

Did anyone ask the Plutonians how they felt. Earth men are so arrogant.

What does this mean for astrology? Didn't Pluto have somehting to do with one of the horoscope signs? (Scorpio I think)

What does this mean for astrology? Didn't Pluto have somehting to do with one of the horoscope signs? (Scorpio I think)

Astrologers will just ignore it and go about their business.