Is Pluto not a Planet ? Not longer Only in New York…

Mathias Pohl — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Some of the Lotusphere Veterans may remember the Lotus Business Partner Development Day during Lotusphere 2002. No, not because of all the marketing stuff, slides and yadayada. No, because of one question: “Is Pluto not a Planet ?”. Since today, the answer is a different again…

OK, first of all: You may wonder, who cares about Pluto ?

Nobody for years !

Until a front page article of the New York Times on 22 January 2001. The Headline: “Pluto not a Planet ? Only in New York !“….

With this, a worldwide discussion about the classification of Pluto was started, articles, press, TV interviews and he was in the middle: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Director of New York City’s new Rose Center for Earth and Space, where Pluto is still missing.

During this Lotusphere Session (for Business Partners only) in 2002, Dr. Tyson presented in his unique, very entertaining way his view about Pluto and the classification of planets.

A must see !

If you like to get a copy of the speech (as wmv), just leave a comment or send a mail.

The discussion about the classification of Pluto started again during this days because of the 2006 General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The result: a clear definition of planets and Pluto is out…:

“The IAU members gathered at the 2006 General

Assembly agreed that a “planet” is defined as a celestial body that (a) is in

orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome

rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round)

shape, and (c) has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.

This means that the Solar System consists of eight “planets” Mercury, Venus,

Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. A new distinct class of

objects called “dwarf planets” was also decided. It was agreed that “planets”

and “dwarf planets” are two distinct classes of objects. The first members of

the “dwarf planet” category are Ceres, Pluto and 2003 UB313 (temporary name).

More “dwarf planets” are expected to be announced by the IAU in the coming

months and years. Currently a dozen candidate “dwarf planets” are listed on

IAU’s “dwarf planet” watchlist, which keeps changing as new objects are found

and the physics of the existing candidates becomes better known.

The “dwarf planet” Pluto is recognised as an important proto-type of a new class

of trans-Neptunian objects. The IAU will set up a process to name these

objects.”

Just days before, most experts expected a definition, which may include Pluto. Tyson already started to apologize – of course in his special way.

Now, Pluto is out and the IAU plans to set up a process to name this new class of objects.

by the way: did you know, that you have to wait ~ 248 years for the christmas on Pluto ? 248 years no cristmas, but a process to name. Life can be so easy.

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD » Pluto

Is Pluto not a Planet ? Not longer Only in New York…