the dog days of Pluto

“

[url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/08/24/pluto.ap/index.html[this just in from CNN[/url]

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- Leading astronomers declared Thursday that Pluto is no longer a planet under historic new guidelines that downsize the solar system from nine planets to eight.

After a tumultuous week of clashing over the essence of the cosmos, the International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of the planetary status it has held since its discovery in 1930. The new definition of what is -- and isn't -- a planet fills a centuries-old black hole for scientists who have labored since Copernicus without one.

Although astronomers applauded after the vote, Jocelyn Bell Burnell -- a specialist in neutron stars from Northern Ireland who oversaw the proceedings -- urged those who might be "quite disappointed" to look on the bright side.

"It could be argued that we are creating an umbrella called 'planet' under which the dwarf planets exist," she said, drawing laughter by waving a stuffed Pluto of Walt Disney fame beneath a real umbrella.

The decision by the prestigious international group spells out the basic tests that celestial objects will have to meet before they can be considered for admission to the elite cosmic club.

For now, membership will be restricted to the eight "classical" planets in the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Much-maligned Pluto doesn't make the grade under the new rules for a planet: "a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a ... nearly round shape, and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit."

Pluto is automatically disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune's.

Instead, it will be reclassified in a new category of "dwarf planets," similar to what long have been termed "minor planets." The definition also lays out a third class of lesser objects that orbit the sun -- "small solar system bodies," a term that will apply to numerous asteroids, comets and other natural satellites.

It was unclear how Pluto's demotion might affect the mission of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, which earlier this year began a 91/2-year journey to the oddball object to unearth more of its secrets.

The decision at a conference of 2,500 astronomers from 75 countries was a dramatic shift from just a week ago, when the group's leaders floated a proposal that would have reaffirmed Pluto's planetary status and made planets of its largest moon and two other objects. (Watch why some think planet size doesn't matter -- 3:39)

That plan proved highly unpopular, splitting astronomers into factions and triggering days of sometimes combative debate that led to Pluto's undoing.

Now, two of the objects that at one point were cruising toward possible full-fledged planethood will join Pluto as dwarfs: the asteroid Ceres, which was a planet in the 1800s before it got demoted, and 2003 UB313, an icy object slightly larger than Pluto whose discoverer, Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology, has nicknamed "Xena."

Charon, the largest of Pluto's three moons, is no longer under consideration for any special designation.

Brown was pleased by the decision. He had argued that Pluto and similar bodies didn't deserve planet status, saying that would "take the magic out of the solar system."

"UB313 is the largest dwarf planet. That's kind of cool," he said.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.”

“rob, you've been out scooped big time”

“this in from Danner News Network International:



Although discouraged by todays unfortunate news, Pluto is grateful he has not yet been stripped of his dog status. Recently, even that has come under fire. Experts say since Pluto was a Disney cartoon character, he technically isn't a real dog. Still children everywhere argue in his favor.

Many tourests worldwide have had their photos taken with Pluto at the numerous Disney Theme Parks. Some say that is evidence enough that Pluto is indeed a real dog.

Experts will convene next week to disucss Pluto's dog status next weekn in a closed door meeting in Fairfax, VA. Hopefully Mickey Mouse will be among those in attendance. Nobody questions his status as a mouse.”

“sacco - this thread is easier to read since you trashed the other one.”

“Thanks a lot sacco.”

“sacco got a spanking.”

“don't forget Marko and his damn double posting”

“funny, of all the things i've ever posted, one pluto picture has gotten me more schit than anything else LOL”

“I hope you now understand how cereal of an offence that was.”

“i like muslix. it's really expensive though, for such a little box”

“I like most muslix, but I'm really not into rap.”

“the heck with rapping, just put it in a box.”

“Czech it out!”

“to reference a long debated paradox from one of my all time favorite movies...

"so wat the hell IS Goofy?"”

“That's easy. He's a dogman.”

“didn't thye make a movie about him with Tom Berringer?”

“CZECH, Please...




The one thing I never could figure out... How does a dog have another dog for a pet?


It's POlitically INcorrect!

O'Reilly would #&%!$ a brick!”

“that looks like some fine beer.”

“Looks tasty, but whats it got to do with anything? Oh well... bottoms up!”

“Glug-glug, you-all !

(I distinctly heard Marko say 'czech'... okay? [VBG])



Here's the jazzed-up air-brushed image from the publicist....



enjoy!



Shame about Pluto, though, Eh?

Oy vey...

I heard that by the proposed definition, if they kept Pluto as a planet and wanted to be 'consistant' we'd have a solar system with a couple o' hundred planets...”

“my mistake Tilt.






Hopefully they wont touch Uranus...”

“postscript...

New Horizons is still on schedule to reach the Pluto/Charon system in 2015.”

“That's easy. He's a dogman.”
Sassafras
5:06:39 PM
8/24/06



Is that anything like a Mog?”

“You know there's rings around Uranus....




Those dirty rings... You try scrubbing them out... You try buffing them out...

And still you have...”

“Post-Pluto mnemonics for the planets
http://www.kottke.org/06/08/pluto-mnemonic-device-contest-results”

“YOu know tilt, you can get uranus bleached now to get rid of those... no chit.”