So after all these years of knowing Pluto as the ninth planet, and having to make those freaking foam solar systems as a kid, Pluto no longer exist as a planet. Well, that is scientist for ya, just wait a few years and they’ll change its status back to a planet. Scientist are supposed to be data oriented, without putting their own view ahead of the data, but that rarely happens. What are teachers supposed to tell kids, when they come in for their planetary lesson, "Umm, we only have eight planets now". (Shrugging Shoulders) I guess the five food groups will be knocked down to four next. LOL What say you?
Everybody is blogging about this very subject, and perhaps the IAU conference is where Jett Loe has been loitering, and I am quite certain that the gang from The Playaz Ball were lurking amongst the scientist.
Discovered in 1930, Pluto has traditionally been considered the ninth planet, and furthest from the sun, in the solar system.
However,
the definition of a planet approved after a heated debate among some
2,500 scientists from the International Astronomical Union (IAU)
meeting in Prague drew a clear distinction between Pluto and the other
eight planets.
The scientists agreed that to be called a planet, a celestial body must be in orbit around a star while not itself being a star.
It
also must be large enough in mass for its own gravity to pull it into a
nearly spherical shape and have cleared the neighbourhood around its
orbit.
Pluto was disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune’s.
The
new definition — the first time the IAU has tried to define
scientifically what a planet is — means a second category called
"dwarf planets", has been created, as well as a third category for all
other objects, except satellites, known as small solar system bodies.The
need to define what it takes to be a planet was driven by technological
advances that enable astronomers to look further into space and to
measure more precisely the size of celestial bodies in our solar system.From now on, traditional planets will be restricted to eight: Mercury, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Venus, Mars and Uranus.
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Scientists pah!
What do they know. They are so sure about everything until the next theory comes along and debunks the existing one – then that becomes truer than true – they’re just floundering around in the universe like the rest of us . . .
I totally agree Skint. That is similiar to the egg fiasco here in the states. Years ago they told us that eggs were bad for us, and then they changed their mind and said eggs were good for us.
“They’re just floundering around in the universe like the rest of us . . .” That is a great line.
I hope to have new post tonight and hopefully finish that short story I’ve been working on, but for now I’ve got to go to work, after being in classes all day.
Thanks for the comment…