I didn't know whether put this in one of the other space topics or make a new thread, so I done the silly noob thing and made a thread.
On the 16th of August, our Solar System increased from 9 planets to 12, adding 3 new bodies: Ceres, Charon and Xena.
On that date a conference was held with some of the leading astronomers in the world. Their aim was to define 'Planet' and re-form the Solar System we all know and love.
The first point they discussed is whether Pluto should still be a Planet. The second was if they should add new bodies to the Planetary System. The concluding point was to define what a 'Planet' is.
In the end of the long and gruelling conference, they decided Pluto would remain a planet, and Ceres, Charon and Xena would join it, making the new System Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Charon and Xena. Also the new definition for 'Planet' is: 'any round object larger than 800 kilometers (nearly 500 miles) in diameter that orbits the sun and has a mass roughly one-12,000th that of Earth. Moons and asteroids will make the grade if they meet those basic tests.'
Kitti Falling In Love With The Board Age: 34 Gender: Female Posts: 5688
August 24th, 2006 at 08:31pm
Actually, Pluto was ruled "not a planet." A planet was defined to be something that cleared its orbit, and since Pluto's orbit overlaps Neptune's, it is not a planet.
Further, the IAU (International Astronomical Union) created a new category for such objects as Pluto and Ceres, "Dwarf Planet."
I don't know what exactly I can do, but this changes my third grade year dramatically. Until I saw Micky Mouse, which I didn't see until I was 10ish, Pluto was the only planet I couldn't remember. Then, I spent months driving into my slower third grade mind, the fact that there was a flippin' other planet. I was so happy when I learned: My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pies. And now I guess it should be:
My Very Evil Mother Just Served Us Nothing. Hm. Something to think about. I just hope they don't change anything again. Like decide that Delaware isn't a state it's a peice of Maryland...
Biffy Clyro Basket Case Age: 34 Gender: Male Posts: 16018
August 25th, 2006 at 09:37am
well. for a start, it is not a new solar system. it is the definitions within our own solar system being changed. pluto has been downgraded to be a dwarf planet, with "Xena" and Ceres, but nothing involving "Charon". the reason being that astronomers decided, in layman terms, that a planet must have strong enough gravity to attract any debris in the neighbouring area towards it. pluto overlaps neptune's path and hence is not a planet.
GD Addicts Anonymous Falling In Love With The Board Age: 33 Gender: Female Posts: 5896
August 25th, 2006 at 02:26pm
I was kind of surprised that they said Pluto's not a planet. That really sucks cause they'll have to change all the textbooks and everything. Well I think they should've had a definition for a planet a long time ago, not wait until 2006 to figure it out.
spill_no_sick Falling In Love With The Board Age: 31 Gender: - Posts: 8588
August 25th, 2006 at 03:34pm
I don't really mind
other than I don't think it's really important enough for them to alter history
they're just getting pissy because no one cares about the plane(t)arium anymore
(I should quit using South Park as my discussion backup, but it goes with my opinion and is a million times more credible than wikipidia....with the exception of their Mormon episode
those damn astronomers. theyre just picking on Pluto coz its little. but i guess they have a point. otherwise, there would be hundreds of planets, coz there are hundreds of Pluto-sized objects in our solar system. but when it all comes down to it, does it really matter?
Well the evidence is there so Pluto really isnt classified as a planet
lyrical_mess Falling In Love With The Board Age: 33 Gender: Female Posts: 5278
October 11th, 2006 at 01:15pm
:S:
And now I guess it should be: My Very Evil Mother Just Served Us Nothing.
I just hope they don't change anything again. Like decide that Delaware isn't a state it's a peice of Maryland...
LMFAO!!!! You have no idea how hard I laughed when I read that. And there's two new ones. See, they made a moon into a planet and something else and they made an asteroid into a planet. I mean, I'm no astronomer, but damn that's stupid. It's fucking asteroid. Who cares if it's huge? Seriously. They now highlight an asteroid belt somewhere around Earth or Venus and the largest one is a planet. Because it's kind of round and has a gravitiational pull. -_-. -.-. no comment. at all. I mean...goddamn!
But the change thing, Ms.Delaware Defender is good. I mean, science isn't like some unchangeable truth. It's not the Bible or the Quran or something. It's something that needs to be updated, changed constantly checked and verified. Things change. I mean, how do you think people felt when they announced that the Earth wasn't the center of the universe.
I don't think everyone accepted it, but now, it's like "Duh!". But Ptolemy must have felt bad about it . See, in like, ten maybe twenty years, they'll be like "yo, Ceres was ALWAYS a planet!"
But now, all the textbook companies have to change the textbooks and teachers have to find a new mneumonic device (with no evil mothers ) and teach the new solar system to first graders.
And if they change any states, I think they'll just announce that Rhode Island is just a piece of Conneticut.
Pluto was my favorite Planet when I was in First grade
. See, in like, ten maybe twenty years, they'll be like "yo, Ceres was ALWAYS a planet!" 
) and teach the new solar system to first graders. 
