Science
Pluto gets recognition it deserves, well, sorta | Pluto gets recognition it deserves, well, sorta |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Friday, 13 June 2008 | |
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Page 2 of 2
So far only Eris, besides Pluto, has been named within the plutoid classification. Eris is larger than Pluto and further away from the Sun that Pluto.
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Science DiscussionsTo be classified as a “plutoid” an object must circle the Sun; be smaller than the minimum size for a planet; be not too large so that gravity gives them a near-spherical shape; and be further from the Sun than the planet Neptune. Specifically, the IAU states, “Plutoids are celestial bodies in orbit around the Sun at a distance greater than that of Neptune that have sufficient mass for their self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that they assume a hydrostatic equilibrium (near-spherical) shape, and that have not cleared the neighbourhood around their orbit. Satellites of plutoids are not plutoids themselves, even if they are massive enough that their shape is dictated by self-gravity. The two known and named plutoids are Pluto and Eris. It is expected that more plutoids will be named as science progresses and new discoveries are made.” [IAU press release] Here are some comments from astronomers after hearing about the news: “Plutoids or hemorrhoids, whatever they call it. This is irrelevant.” –Dr. Alan Stern, former NASA space sciences chief. [Time] ‘Instead of being a "puny" outer planet, Pluto is now a "prototype of a new type of fascinating objects.’” --Catherine Cesarsky, IAU president [Los Angeles Daily News]
"It [plutoid] doesn't really roll off the tongue very well. Maybe it'll make it." --Mike Brown, the California Institute of Technology astronomer who discovered Eris in 2003. [Times Record News} "The IAU is a democratic organization, thus open to comments and criticism of any kind. Given the history of the issue [Pluto], we will probably never reach a complete consensus." --Karel A. van der Hucht, IAU General Secretary [PhysForum.org] |
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