What Is Our Ninth Planet?

[Hans Blaster]

Negative.

I tend to shy away from org sites.

"org sites"? What's the deal with that?

What does the sneaky IAU have to say about that?

Read it and you might find out.

 

[Yttrium]

If only we could change the definition of planets back to what it was.

Then Neptune would be the ninth planet.

 

[Sabertooth]

I have relatives living on Pluto...

They must be chilly dogs...!

It would be alright if they called it Henry or George. But when you call it something cute like Pluto then you would hope for a bit more legacy.

Pluto was was the Roman "god" of the underworld. Most depictions of the Devil [horns, "pitchfork"] are traits borrowed from Pluto. Not cute in my book.

 

[Shemjaza]

If only we could change the definition of planets back to what it was.

Then Neptune would be the ninth planet.

My
Very
Energetic
Mother
Can't
Just
Sit
Up
Near
Pop

 

[Sabertooth]

Can't...

Ceres?

 

[Shemjaza]

Ceres?

yes!

 

[Questioning Brother]

There are still 9. Pluto has just been reclassified as a dwarf planet.

 

[Hans Blaster]

There are still 9. Pluto has just been reclassified as a dwarf planet.

And Ceres. And Eris. And Haumea. And Makemake. And Quaoar. And Sedna. And Orcus. And Gonggong. Looks like 17 including dwarf planets.

 

[AV1611VET]

And Ceres. And Eris. And Haumea. And Makemake. And Quaoar. And Sedna. And Orcus. And Gonggong. Looks like 17 including dwarf planets.

Since when were these planets, reclassified as dwarf planets?

 

[Yttrium]

Since when were these planets, reclassified as dwarf planets?

Eris, Ceres and Pluto were classified as dwarf planets in 2006. Makemake in 2008. I'm not sure if the others have officially been designated as dwarf planets yet. They may still need some examination.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Since when were these planets, reclassified as dwarf planets?

Ceres was classified as a planet from when it was discovered. Then they realized there were dozens, hundreds, and even more "planets" in the same orbital region, so they were reclassified as "not-planets". The same thing happened with Pluto when the various TNOs started to be detected. The only real difference is that Ceres had "buddies" with in a decade and it took over a half century for Pluto to get any.

 

[Questioning Brother]

And Ceres. And Eris. And Haumea. And Makemake. And Quaoar. And Sedna. And Orcus. And Gonggong. Looks like 17 including dwarf planets.

Fair Enough

 

[AV1611VET]

Fair Enough

It's easier for scientists to just demote Pluto, than to add another seventeen planets into the mix.

Never mind that the Periodic Table started out with just ten elements, and now is over one hundred.

The IAU doesn't have control over the Periodic Table.

 

[Hans Blaster]

It's easier for scientists to just demote Pluto, than to add another seventeen planets into the mix.

No 8 more (to get to 17 total). I think that much more realistic approach was stymied by tradition.

Never mind that the Periodic Table started out with just ten elements, and now is over one hundred.

The IAU doesn't have control over the Periodic Table.

No, the IUPAC does.

 

[Sabertooth]

IIRC, Pluto's orbit is on a different plane than the rest of the planets and comes closer to the Sun than Neptune sometimes.
Do the other TNO dwarf planets/Kuiper belt objects do this, too, or do they stay on the otherwise conventional orbital plane?

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

It's easier for scientists to just demote Pluto, than to add another seventeen planets into the mix.

Never mind that the Periodic Table started out with just ten elements, and now is over one hundred.

The IAU doesn't have control over the Periodic Table.

What would be the way to remember those extra seventeen planets?

You know, in the vein of (and this might just be the UK version): My Very Elderly Mother Just Sits Until Night Passes.

 

[Shemjaza]

What would be the way to remember those extra seventeen planets?

You know, in the vein of (and this might just be the UK version): My Very Elderly Mother Just Sits Until Night Passes.

It was hard enough to come up with an alternate version for 10 planets.

 

[ozso]

There are no planets. The Earth is flat and those are just lights. Images of so called planets are a hoax.

 

[AV1611VET]

What would be the way to remember those extra seventeen planets?

You know, in the vein of (and this might just be the UK version): My Very Elderly Mother Just Sits Until Night Passes.

Beats me.

I don't think there's a mnemonic phrase for them.

 

[AV1611VET]

There are no planets. The Earth is flat and those are just lights. Images of so called planets are a hoax.

There you go!

Case closed!