Space Oddities

irishgrl · #1 08-24-2006, 04:52 PM

ok so who besides me is fuming about Pluto being downgraded as a planet?

I mean, it has a moon doesnt it? It orbits our Sun doesnt it? Its nearly round right? But apparently it doesnt clear its orbital path--it overlaps with Neptune......so for this it gets downgraded???

I was looking for planetary pics and came across these:

I guess thats good for starters....................

oh and the article I read said this Pluto debate aint over YET..............

here's an excerpt:

Quote:

Stern, in charge of the robotic probe on its way to Pluto, said the language of the resolution is flawed. It requires that a planet "has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit." But Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Neptune all have asteroids as neighbors.

"It's patently clear that Earth's zone is not cleared," Stern told SPACE.com. "Jupiter has 50,000 trojan asteroids," which orbit in lockstep with the planet.

Stern called it "absurd" that only 424 astronomers were allowed to vote, out of some 10,000 professional astronomers around the globe.

"It won't stand," he said. "It's a farce."

Stern said astronomers are already circulating a petition that would try to overturn the IAU decision.

strandinthewind · #2 08-24-2006, 04:53 PM

W clearly caused this to happen

DrummerDeanna · #3 08-24-2006, 04:54 PM

I am completely bummed and miffed that Pluto's been downgraded. Of course, being from New Mexico - and an alum of New Mexico State University it's almost a slap in the face. My hometown and University was the home to Pluto's discoverer for many years until his death.

Great pics btw!

chiliD · #4 08-24-2006, 04:57 PM

Oh...I'm beyond pissed off about it. They can call it what they want (along the same lines as "a rose is a rose"), just because it does something no OTHER planet does, doesn't discount it being a planet. After all, it is what it is, right? I still believe that there are at LEAST three other "planets" (or haven't been LABELED as such) BEYOND Pluto.

This is really gonna screw up Astrologers...Pluto will have to be taken out of all those astrological charts now.

irishgrl · #5 08-24-2006, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

Oh...I'm beyond pissed off about it. They can call it what they want (along the same lines as "a rose is a rose"), just because it does something no OTHER planet does, doesn't discount it being a planet. After all, it is what it is, right? I still believe that there are at LEAST three other "planets" (or haven't been LABELED as such) BEYOND Pluto.

This is really gonna screw up Astrologers...Pluto will have to be taken out of all those astrological charts now.

Well, Im not so sure Pluto will need to be taken out of Astrology charts, I mean its not as if the planet itself disappeared

Pluto is still there in the heavens and I think Astrologically speaking all will be well....

PS: aren't those aurora pix awesome?

chiliD · #6 08-24-2006, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishgrl

PS: aren't those aurora pix awesome?

The photos are great...but, it really has to been seen live & in person. It's really eerie to see...back in '81 when I was galavanting around Alberta for 2/3 of the year, I was really fortunate to catch a few nights of 'em. I felt like I was in some other universe.

DrummerDeanna · #7 08-24-2006, 05:14 PM

I soo want to see the aurora in real life - it's a goal in life...also to see some whales out in the wild

NPR actually interviewed an astrologer about the Pluto thing yesterday...it followed a story about Tom Cruise and before the stories Robert Siegel said, "All Things Considered goes tabloid after this...."

shackin'up · #8 08-24-2006, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

Pluto will have to be taken out of all those astrological charts now.

Well, than Mickey can finally celebrate his friends' birthday quitely.

irishgrl · #9 08-24-2006, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shackin'up

Well, than Mickey can finally celebrate his friends' birthday quitely.

oh that was droll....

mikeschmike · #10 08-24-2006, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

The photos are great...but, it really has to been seen live & in person. It's really eerie to see...back in '81 when I was galavanting around Alberta for 2/3 of the year, I was really fortunate to catch a few nights of 'em. I felt like I was in some other universe.

It is a beautiful sight. I used to see the northern lights dance across the sky when I visited relatives that lived near the MN/Canada border. You can still get a peek here in the central part of the state, but not nearly as much of a show up north.

MacMan · #11 08-24-2006, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

The photos are great...but, it really has to been seen live & in person. It's really eerie to see...back in '81 when I was galavanting around Alberta for 2/3 of the year, I was really fortunate to catch a few nights of 'em. I felt like I was in some other universe.

I grew up seeing the Northern Lights every winter as a kid. They are very cool! I took it for granted at the time. I haven't seen them in years - but would like to again.

ryan8472 · #12 08-24-2006, 11:03 PM

It's nothing to be pissed about I guess.

But I do agree with what has been done. If Pluto is considered a planet, then hundreds of other objects should be as well.

amber · #13 08-25-2006, 12:47 AM

Hurray!!

"PLUTO "DEMOTED" BY IAU

The International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of its status as a planet today and has reclassified it as a "dwarf planet." The decision, made by less than 5% of the world's astronomers, is unlikely to affect the astrology community and, in fact, is not accepted by all astronomers either. Perhaps it's the "Lord of the Underworld's" proximity to the Galactic Center that led to this astronomical transformation. Pluto has been a valuable addition to astrology charts since its discovery in 1930 and will continue to be an essential factor in personality analysis and forecasting. Astrologers have called the Sun and Moon "planets" for millennia without problem and will continue to do the same with Pluto."

irishgrl · #14 08-25-2006, 06:19 AM

All "hurray's" aside, I dont think this is over yet. and as I predicted, Astrology will not be affected.

irishgrl · #15 08-25-2006, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan8472

It's nothing to be pissed about I guess.

But I do agree with what has been done. If Pluto is considered a planet, then hundreds of other objects should be as well.

such as? and what's wrong with considering Pluto a planet? It fits the description of a planet in every way except the strangely unnecessary requirement to "clear its orbital path" which even the Earth does not do