Pluto's Planet Status Should Be Reinstated

[Crimsonmistymemory]

When the Little blip moving slowly across the starry night sky 1930 was discovered, it was hailed as the 9th planet of our solar system. Everybody was fine with this untill 2003 when it's status was changed from "planet" to "dwarf planet" mainly due to its size and location in the solar system. Considered more actually a member of the kuiper belt than inner solar system (Neptune inward) which is composed of thousands (or more) tiny icy objects. So pluto was grouped in with the other known dwarf planets some in the inner solar system and some in the kuiper belt. Now after discoveries made by the New Horizons space probe Pluto has active geology, canyons and shallow gorges, mountians, plains and flowing ice that has created a relatively new and crater free surface. Pluto also has a thicker than speculated atmosphere that extends almost 80 miles into space. Also alot of the frozen ices on pluto are organic in nature and with the right conditions (alot warmer) could be the building blocks of life. I have done some research on the the other known dwarf planets which are basically large asteroids or planetoids that have none of the features displayed by Pluto. Ceres is the closest one to us and NASA has a probe "Dawn" now in orbit. It is just basically rock and water ice with an orbit between Jupiter & Mars in the asteroid belt. As I mentioned before Ceres displays none of the dynamic geological features Pluto does so Ceres should be a dwarf planet but not Pluto. With that said I say Pluto's planet status shoud be reinstated!

What say you? :dweez: :codger:

Edited July 24, 2015 by Crimsonmistymemory

[EagleMoon]

It's considered a dwarf planet now, right? I think the biggest issue is the size of it And because it's so small.

[laughedatbytime]

It's considered a dwarf planet now, right? I think the biggest issue is the size of it And because it's so small.

Figures that a woman would think size matters... ;)

[Lorraine]

:o

[Union 5-3992]

I'd say either make another category or keep it as a dwarf planet. There are a dozen or so other rocks out there that we haven't seen as close either. If we reached a few others, we may even discover similar features. Dwarf planet doesn't seem too bad and I don't understand why some people took it so personally

[Ancient Ways]

When the Little blip moving slowly across the starry night sky 1930 was discovered, it was hailed as the 9th planet of our solar system. Everybody was fine with this untill 2003 when it's status was changed from "planet" to "dwarf planet" mainly due to its size and location in the solar system. Considered more actually a member of the kuiper belt than inner solar system (Neptune inward) which is composed of thousands (or more) tiny icy objects. So pluto was grouped in with the other known dwarf planets some in the inner solar system and some in the kuiper belt. Now after discoveries made by the New Horizons space probe Pluto has active geology, canyons and shallow gorges, mountians, plains and flowing ice that has created a relatively new and crater free surface. Pluto also has a thicker than speculated atmosphere that extends almost 80 miles into space. Also alot of the frozen ices on pluto are organic in nature and with the right conditions (alot warmer) could be the building blocks of life. I have done some research on the the other known dwarf planets which are basically large asteroids or planetoids that have none of the features displayed by Pluto. Ceres is the closest one to us and NASA has a probe "Dawn" now in orbit. It is just basically rock and water ice with an orbit between Jupiter & Mars in the asteroid belt. As I mentioned before Ceres displays none of the dynamic geological features Pluto does so Ceres should be a dwarf planet but not Pluto. With that said I say Pluto's planet status shoud be reinstated!

What say you? :dweez: :codger:

Unfortunately, none of these come into play in determining its status. Since it has not cleared its orbital neighborhood it is not a planet based on the current definition.

[EagleMoon]

It's considered a dwarf planet now, right? I think the biggest issue is the size of it And because it's so small.

Figures that a woman would think size matters... ;)

 

It doesn't matter to me personally but it does matter to the scientists who are classifying it. :)

[Ancient Ways]

It's considered a dwarf planet now, right? I think the biggest issue is the size of it And because it's so small.

Figures that a woman would think size matters... ;)

 

It doesn't matter to me personally but it does matter to the scientists who are classifying it. :)

Its size has nothing to do with classification. The 3 requirements to be a planet are

1) it orbits the sun.

2) sufficient gravity to become spherical in shape

3) it needs to have cleared its orbital neighborhood.

[EagleMoon]

It's considered a dwarf planet now, right? I think the biggest issue is the size of it And because it's so small.

Figures that a woman would think size matters... ;)

 

It doesn't matter to me personally but it does matter to the scientists who are classifying it. :)

Its size has nothing to do with classification. The 3 requirements to be a planet are

1) it orbits the sun.

2) sufficient gravity to become spherical in shape

3) it needs to have cleared its orbital neighborhood.

 

It does make a difference if you're classifying it either a planet or a dwarf planet. That's what I was talking about.

[Crimsonmistymemory]

Pluto does have an orbit it is just a wee bit different than than others and it meets ans exceeds the other two requirements

Edit; Pluto has not run into anything yet so it in essence has a cleared orbital path.

Edited July 24, 2015 by Crimsonmistymemory

[MeanMeanPride]

I say we all go out and picket. Who is with me? Pluto has rights just like any other planet!

 

In all seriousness, you're probably right.

[J2112YYZ]

Haven't they discovered that there are several other rocks similar to Pluto in size or bigger and that's the main reason it was downgraded? If Pluto counts as a planet then the other ones that are like it should be considered ones as well. But then that means our solar system would have a ridiculous amount of planets. If Pluto was alone and unique in it's presence, I would say let it stay a planet. But there are a number of similar rocks they have found. In the end Pluto is just not a special as they originally thought it was and it being downgraded to a dwarf planet is perfectly fine. Edited July 24, 2015 by J2112YYZ

[Crimsonmistymemory]

Haven't they discovered that there are several other rocks similar to Pluto in size or bigger and that's the main reason it was downgraded? If Pluto counts as a planet then the other ones that are like it should be considered ones as well. But then that means our solar system would have a ridiculous amount of planets. If Pluto was alone and unique in it's presence, I would say let it stay a planet. But there are a number of similar rocks they have found. In the end Pluto is just not a special as they originally thought it was and it being downgraded to a dwarf planet is perfectly fine.

But Pluto is special, and it should've remained a planet the only sticky factor is that maybe to many other kuiper belt objects cross or maybe even share it's orbital path, which is a very large orbit. However it's not like Ceres which is in the middle of the asteroid belt and can never clear it's own path. Also every planet has objects that cross their orbital path Eg; Comets.

Edit; Or the other dwarf planets that are embedded in the kuiper belt that like Ceres have no chance of clearing their orbital path.

Edited July 24, 2015 by Crimsonmistymemory

[Union 5-3992]

Plus it's orbit is all wonky. Like a comet

 

http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/review/dr-marc-solar-system/ecliptic.gif

Edited July 24, 2015 by Union 5-3992

[Principled Man]

Pluto has not run into anything yet so it in essence has a cleared orbital path.

 

 

The key word here is yet. In a hundred, or a thousand, or a million years, Pluto could collide with other Kuiper Belt objects. For all we know, Pluto's current existence and position is due to a collision that occurred a mere 1,000 years ago. That is nothing in astronomical time.

 

It seems to me that the only reason for people wanting Pluto's designation to be changed back to planet is their own sentimentality. If Pluto had been discovered ten years ago, we wouldn't be having this debate. We've had 80 years of tradition and emotional attachments to "Pluto the planet". Sentiment is not a good enough reason to change its scientific designation, IMO.

[Ancient Ways]

It's considered a dwarf planet now, right? I think the biggest issue is the size of it And because it's so small.

Figures that a woman would think size matters... ;)

 

It doesn't matter to me personally but it does matter to the scientists who are classifying it. :)

Its size has nothing to do with classification. The 3 requirements to be a planet are

1) it orbits the sun.

2) sufficient gravity to become spherical in shape

3) it needs to have cleared its orbital neighborhood.

 

It does make a difference if you're classifying it either a planet or a dwarf planet. That's what I was talking about.

The use of the term dwarf is unfortunate since, although most of them are smaller than Mercury, their size is not a determining factor for classification. However, their size (mass) is partially responsible for them being unable to clear their orbit.

[Crimsonmistymemory]

Pluto has not run into anything yet so it in essence has a cleared orbital path.

 

 

The key word here is yet. In a hundred, or a thousand, or a million years, Pluto could collide with other Kuiper Belt objects. For all we know, Pluto's current existence and position is due to a collision that occurred a mere 1,000 years ago. That is nothing in astronomical time.

 

It seems to me that the only reason for people wanting Pluto's designation to be changed back to planet is their own sentimentality. If Pluto had been discovered ten years ago, we wouldn't be having this debate. We've had 80 years of tradition and emotional attachments to "Pluto the planet". Sentiment is not a good enough reason to change its scientific designation, IMO.

Well to me the fact te Pluto is in the condition it is in states to me it has cleared it's orbit and has maintained it for a very long time. As far as bieng struck by astronomical objects, that is something any planet in our solar system may have to contend with. EG; Shumacher Levey 9 visiting Jupiter in 1994 who most certianly has an established cleared orbit. I will agree with you about the sentiment factor and I was one who was against the reclassification of Pluto(if you may have noticed). However if humanity was a 4 cylinder engine sentiment would be at least one cylinder not enough to propell on it's own but a very bad running engine without it.

Edited July 25, 2015 by Crimsonmistymemory

[Principled Man]

It's considered a dwarf planet now, right? I think the biggest issue is the size of it And because it's so small.

Figures that a woman would think size matters... ;)

 

It doesn't matter to me personally but it does matter to the scientists who are classifying it. :)

Its size has nothing to do with classification. The 3 requirements to be a planet are

1) it orbits the sun.

2) sufficient gravity to become spherical in shape

3) it needs to have cleared its orbital neighborhood.

 

It does make a difference if you're classifying it either a planet or a dwarf planet. That's what I was talking about.

 

The use of the term dwarf is unfortunate since, although most of them are smaller than Mercury, their size is not a determining factor for classification. However, their size (mass) is partially responsible for them being unable to clear their orbit.

 

As huge as it is, our own Sun is designated as a yellow dwarf star. It is tiny compared to the supergiant and hypergiant stars out there.

 

It's all relative. In astronomy, being a "dwarf" ain't such a bad thing. :)

[Tombstone Mountain]

It's considered a dwarf planet now, right? I think the biggest issue is the size of it And because it's so small.

Figures that a woman would think size matters... ;)

 

It doesn't matter to me personally but it does matter to the scientists who are classifying it. :)

Its size has nothing to do with classification. The 3 requirements to be a planet are

1) it orbits the sun.

2) sufficient gravity to become spherical in shape

3) it needs to have cleared its orbital neighborhood.

 

It does make a difference if you're classifying it either a planet or a dwarf planet. That's what I was talking about.

 

The use of the term dwarf is unfortunate since, although most of them are smaller than Mercury, their size is not a determining factor for classification. However, their size (mass) is partially responsible for them being unable to clear their orbit.

being a "dwarf" ain't such a bad thing. :)

[Union 5-3992]

It's considered a dwarf planet now, right? I think the biggest issue is the size of it And because it's so small.

Figures that a woman would think size matters... ;)

 

It doesn't matter to me personally but it does matter to the scientists who are classifying it. :)

Its size has nothing to do with classification. The 3 requirements to be a planet are

1) it orbits the sun.

2) sufficient gravity to become spherical in shape

3) it needs to have cleared its orbital neighborhood.

 

It does make a difference if you're classifying it either a planet or a dwarf planet. That's what I was talking about.

 

The use of the term dwarf is unfortunate since, although most of them are smaller than Mercury, their size is not a determining factor for classification. However, their size (mass) is partially responsible for them being unable to clear their orbit.

being a "dwarf" ain't such a bad thing. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjmjtOnDyYs

Is that next season of Game of Thrones?

Edited July 25, 2015 by Union 5-3992

[blueschica]

I vote Yes! I feel old and it is hard for me to relearn stuff sometimes. On The Amazing Race I'm still waiting for them to go to Tanganyika. My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine ??? It doesn't have the same ring to it . . . . . . :P

[Blue J]

I can't say I'm losing any sleep over this either way. To me, Pluto is just Pluto.

 

And it's pretty far out, man.

[goose]

It's considered a dwarf planet now, right? I think the biggest issue is the size of it And because it's so small.

Size matters, apparently! The issue as I understand it is Pluto's inability to orbit relatively uninfluenced by the objects around it.

[goose]

I can't say I'm losing any sleep over this either way. To me, Pluto is just Pluto.

 

Totally. We humans overestimate the importance of our opinions and observations in the grand scheme of things. Edited July 25, 2015 by goose

[EagleMoon]

It's considered a dwarf planet now, right? I think the biggest issue is the size of it And because it's so small.

Size matters, apparently! The issue as I understand it is Pluto's inability to orbit relatively uninfluenced by the objects around it.

 

Right, which makes sense as to why it's classified as a dwarf planet.