From an article in the New Zealand Herald, "Solar System to Welcome Three New Planets" by Steve Connor. Some of the "less is more" people may feel that we already have enough, but I always say that you can't have too many planets.
So I wanted to be one of the first in the solar system to welcome them.
Here are the recently-agreed upon criteria.
[quote from article begins]
Modern science provides much more knowledge than the simple fact that objects orbiting the Sun appear to move with respect to the background of fixed stars," Dr Ekers said. "Recent new discoveries have been made of objects in the outer regions of our solar system that have sizes comparable to and larger than Pluto. These discoveries have rightfully called into question whether or not they should be considered as new planets."
There are now eight "classical"planets, three "plutons", those planets that are similar in size to Pluto with extremely wide solar orbits, and the asteroid-like Ceres.
Experts sitting on IAU's planet definition committee - composed of astronomers, historians and writers - concluded that in future a planet should be defined as a celestial body that is big enough for its gravity field to form a near-spherical shape. The object must also be in orbit around the Sun - or another star - but not as a satellite of another planet, which rules out the Moon and the larger moons of other planets. "Our goal was to find a scientific basis for a new definition of 'planet', and we chose gravity as the determining factor," said Professor Richard Binzel, a planetary scientist and member of the definition committee. "Nature decides whether or not an object is a planet.".
[quote ends]
The only disappointment is their names: Charon, Ceres, and one that has been nicknamed "Xena." What about "Vulcan"? When I was a child and hearing about the elusive possible planet out beyond Pluto, I always understood that one was to be called Vulcan. Did I make that up? I'm sure I didn't.
I get "Charon" and "Ceres" in relation to "Pluto," but if you're going to go all out, the third one should be "Persephone." Why should school kids today with their spellchecks and computers have it so easy?
Here is a cool map from the Armagh Observatory I found at Digg.com of the current (crowded) solar system. Here's another map of the relative positions of asteroids near earth. Space is less spacious than I imagined; more like my closet.
According to this article at Live Science, Japanese researchers are contemplating reviving the Woolly Mammoth. Oh, how I wish.
Another really interesting article at Live Science by Abigail Leonard is called Your Brain Boots Up like a Computer. (Slowly? Reluctantly? Unreliably?)
And there's more! Your Brain Works Like the Internet. It's at least a relief to learn that, contrary to what I was taught in school, Adult Brain Cells Do Keep Growing.
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