Illinois Declares Pluto a Planet

[T.Neo]

But Mercury dominates it's orbital neighborhood.

Minor detail.

 

[Eagle]

Pluto's classification is consistent (mostly) with the IAU's definition.

Does the IAU have bad definitions? Yes, but its still better than the 'because I say it is' definition.

 

[Kyle]

But Mercury dominates it's orbital neighborhood.

That could be in part its right next to the sun.

---------- Post added at 10:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:40 PM ----------

But Mercury dominates it's orbital neighborhood.

In a sense Mercury hasn't dominated it's orbital neighborhood. That big yellow glowing thing near it has.

 

[BHawthorne]

BTW, when did Illinois annex Pluto and begin legislating it's territory? That should explain a lot about Chicago (and the new President).

 

[Andy44]

That's because we're talking Pluto. The sexual orientation of Jupiter would be another matter because, let's face it, nobody would dare to pick up the soap anywhere within one AU from Jupiter.

Dude, that is just so...wrong...

 

[simonpro]

For some reason (possibly because I had about 2 hours sleep and several beers last night) I just typed "gay planet" into google images.
That was a mistake.

 

[Urwumpe]

In a sense Mercury hasn't dominated it's orbital neighborhood. That big yellow glowing thing near it has.

That is not the question. The important factor is, that Mercury's gravity is enough for pushing over objects away from the region of it's orbit. There are only very few asteroids orbiting in a similar orbit as Mercury. Between Mercury and Venus, you can be sure, that both will have an effect on you.

 

[RisingFury]

That is not the question. The important factor is, that Mercury's gravity is enough for pushing over objects away from the region of it's orbit. There are only very few asteroids orbiting in a similar orbit as Mercury. Between Mercury and Venus, you can be sure, that both will have an effect on you.

Yea, but if you look at where Pluto is, there are countless objects there. Check this out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Outersolarsystem_objectpositions_labels_comp.png

You can see Trojans and Greeks near Jupiter, some dots all over the place around Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, but look beyond Neptune, where Pluto's orbit is! It's a mess!

 

[Urwumpe]

You can see Trojans and Greeks near Jupiter, some dots all over the place around Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, but look beyond Neptune, where Pluto's orbit is! It's a mess!

Additionally, Trojans and Greeks are dominated by the gravity of the major body, and captured at the L4 and L5 Lagrange points. You could in theory even count them as some sort of moon of the planet.

 

[RisingFury]

Additionally, Trojans and Greeks are dominated by the gravity of the major body, and captured at the L4 and L5 Lagrange points. You could in theory even count them as some sort of moon of the planet.

Yep, they're totally dominated by Jupiter. But I wouldn't call them moons. Speaking of moons... is that term strictly defined?




By the way... to anyone who thinks IAU resorted to the vote only in the case of definition of a planet... no. They vote on things all the time. If the same object gets discovered by two observatories and it turns out it's the same object, they'll take a vote to synchronize the name. The only reason this vote is so controversial is that media jumped on it and brought it to your attention.

 

[Ghostrider]

Speaking of moons... is that term strictly defined?

According to a well respected expert (who has done the Kessel Run under two parsecs), if it's artificially made, moves by itself and is armed with a planet-busting superlaser, it ain't no moon.

 

[RisingFury]

According to a well respected expert (who has done the Kessel Run under two parsecs), if it's artificially made, moves by itself and is armed with a planet-busting superlaser, it ain't no moon.

Once you see it in the night sky over your planet, it doesn't really matter what you call it. Your suggested name won't hang on for more then a few seconds :lol:

 

[Eagle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3cDdGKqp8E

 

[Ghostrider]

Aw. The opening of the song sounded a bit too much like the Silent Hill theme opening for my taste...

 

[T.Neo]

They could also declare Pluto Capital Planet of the solar system

Sure they could.

But it's like making a one-shack village in the middle of nowhere Alaska capital of the US.

Earth is the capital because that's where everything happens here.


Or course, this post is clearly not fully serious. :rofl:

 

[Ghostrider]

Earth is the capital because that's where everything happens here.

Not everything happens in the capital. Tne giant telepathic squid didn't happen in DC but in NY. Of course, now there's no squid which makes the whole thing all the more confusing.

 

[T.Neo]

Not everything happens in the capital.

When it comes to Earth being the capital, it pretty much does.

There is no human presence on any planet except Earth (ISS in LEO doesn't count).

Look at it this way: It would be like putting the capital of England in North America before anyone settled it.

 

[tblaxland]

Look at it this way: It would be like putting the capital of England in North America before anyone settled it.

When Canberra was selected as the capital city of Australia in 1908, there was not even a town there. Just a handful of pastoralists and their cattle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Canberra#Creation_of_the_Australian_Capital_Territory

 

[tl8]

When Canberra was selected as the capital city of Australia in 1908, there was not even a town there. Just a handful of pastoralists and their cattle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Canberra#Creation_of_the_Australian_Capital_Territory

There still is :dry:

 

[tblaxland]

There still is :dry:

No, they have sheep now