News > Geek > Space Nerds Debate Definition of Planet

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MONDAY AUGUST 14 2006 2:00 PM

Space Nerds Debate Definition of Planet

Submitted by WilWheaton

Edited by WilWheaton

Tags: space, planets, Pluto, Kuiper Belt

Not since Bill Clinton parsed the meaning of the word "is," has so much weight been placed on a definition. This time, however, we're not talking about a blowjob from a skanky intern. This time, it's something far more important: what, exactly, is a planet?

As further evidence that nerds will argue about anything, this is the debate currently raging in Prague, at the annual meeting of the International Astronomical Union.

Scientists attending the conference are split over whether Pluto should be excluded from the list of planets, said Pavel Suchan of the meeting's local organization committee.

"So far it looks like a stalemate," Suchan said. "One half wants Pluto to remain a planet, the other half says Pluto is not worth being called a planet."

Participants hope to set scientific criteria for what qualifies as a planet. Should planets be grouped by location, size or another marker? If planets are defined by their size, should they be bigger than Pluto or another arbitrary size? The latter could expand the solar system to 23, 39 or even 53 planets.

Once this question is settled, debate will turn to the second most urgent question facing nerds: 7 of 9 or T'Pol?

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Comments

Chainlink

Key West, FL

August 2005

AUG 14, 2006 02:20 PM

53 planets would be pretty cool , no ?

I've been following this a little bit.

I'm more concerned with whether or not they are really gonna name 2003UB313 Xena for good.

I think for Planet status, it's going to have a regular orbit around the sun and be basically round.

Other than that it seems pretty wide open.

mat8drb

United Kingdom

October 2004

AUG 14, 2006 02:23 PM

I don't see what's wrong with adding "Xena" to the planet list. But then think of all the school wall charts they're going to have to reprint.

Also, could I vote Jeri Ryan from that recent episode of Boston Legal?

MrCrisp

I'm lost

August 2004

AUG 14, 2006 02:23 PM

what are starfleet's standards regarding planetary identification and classification?

oh, and my vote's for jean-luc. rawr.

Sivart

Saskatoon, SK

June 2004

AUG 14, 2006 02:23 PM

i thought they'd decided a few years back that pluto did not meet the criteria of planet, however, would maintain it's planet status for sentimentality's sake.

theseeman

Asheville, NC

December 2002

AUG 14, 2006 02:36 PM

I wouldn't take anything away from the God of Hell.

quagmirething

I'm lost

June 2005

AUG 14, 2006 02:52 PM

It would be a giant fudge to leave us with nine planets. Going to less than nine is tricky, what definition of planet would be used?

I say we count everything which directly orbits the sun and is big enough to be a sphere. Naming them all will be great fun. If it's open to votes from the public then we could create silliness which will last for millennia! Uranus has set the standard we must strive to breach.

wildswan

I'm lost

June 2006

AUG 14, 2006 02:58 PM

Nomenclature is clearly significant in science; astronomy is no exception. Scientific matters shouldn't be settled by Ms. Fitch's 4th grade astronomy class being all sentimental about Pluto's status as a planet.

I for one would like to see the matter settled--but by all due scientific methods.

llouys

Brazil

August 2003

AUG 14, 2006 03:19 PM

fuck pluto. just... FUCK PLUTO.

troublekicker

I'm lost

March 2006

AUG 14, 2006 03:29 PM

God this is going to be worse than the brontasaurus/apatosaurus thing. I'm still all messed up over that one.

Signon

Austin, TX

June 2005

AUG 14, 2006 03:58 PM

Feh.

Joel'd so kick Mike's ass...

SockPuppet

I'm lost

July 2006

AUG 14, 2006 04:02 PM

chainlink said:
I'm more concerned with whether or not they are really gonna name 2003UB313 Xena for good.

I think for Planet status, it's going to have a regular orbit around the sun and be basically round.

Other than that it seems pretty wide open.

Xena... basically round... bahahahahahah!!!1111one!!