Pluto

mathaholic · 2013-05-31 17:35:42

Yes, we know that it became a dwarf planet already, but can you explain why Pluto became a dwarf planet?

barbie19022002 · 2013-05-31 17:39:24

The Eight planets of the Solar system. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

It happened on 24 August 2006: instead of the nine planets it had up to that time, our Solar System suddenly had only eight - the planet Pluto was no longer a planet. What happened?
In August 2006, astronomers from all over the world gathered at the 26th General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in Prague.

Among other things, they reorganised our planetary system and agreed on the scientific definition of a planet. A reorganisation had become necessary as an increasing number of heavenly bodies were being discovered beyond Pluto's orbit that were about the same size as Pluto.

If these bodies were also granted the status of being planets, this would lead to a real flood of planets in the long term. Under the chair of the well-known female astronomer Jocelyn Bell, the astronomers thus agreed on three criteria that a heavenly body must fulfil in order to be a planet.

First, the body must orbit the Sun or a star and must not be a star itself. Second, it must have sufficient mass that is has become spherical due to its own gravity. Thirdly, since its formation, it must have cleared the area around its orbit of small bodies.

Pluto does not satisfy the third criterion - although it fulfils the first two, it was named a 'dwarf planet' together with Ceres (see also the astronomic question from week 31) and Eris (which orbits the Sun outside Neptune's orbit).

The updated Solar System now has three categories of planet: Classical planets, dwarf and planetoids. There are eight classical planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

mathaholic · 2013-05-31 17:40:17

Oh. What are planetoids?

barbie19022002 · 2013-05-31 17:44:46

(planetoid) minor planet: any of numerous small celestial bodies that move around the sun.

mathaholic · 2013-05-31 17:45:45

Oh, minor planets. So, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are major planets?

anonimnystefy · 2013-05-31 17:46:06

I think it is better that way. I mean, having asteroids in the Solar system (and which orbit the Sun) that are larger than Pluto is kinda awkward.

mathaholic · 2013-05-31 17:46:51

Oh. How wide is Pluto?

barbie19022002 · 2013-05-31 17:48:47

Pluto is only 1,400 miles (2,300 kilometers) wide.

mathaholic · 2013-05-31 18:02:06

Wow. An asteroid bigger than that size might crash Pluto

barbie19022002 · 2013-05-31 18:03:14

hopefully...but I didn't get any theory about it in the net...

mathaholic · 2013-05-31 18:49:34

Oh.

barbie19022002 · 2013-05-31 18:53:33

but ya pluto has only one satellite which's name is Charon... the most funny thing is that it is half of its on parent planet...I think only lilliputs can stay on the planet pluto..

anonimnystefy · 2013-06-01 02:09:41

Or Le Petit Prince...

bobbym · 2013-06-01 06:19:58

Lilliputs would be what I say too. Yes definitely, or else phrontister's little people.

barbie19022002 · 2013-06-01 18:07:02

Ya, bobbym nice idea.....and anonimnystefy is talking about some little prince who is that....again..

anonimnystefy · 2013-06-01 18:39:21

bobbym wrote:

Lilliputs would be what I say too. Yes definitely, or else phrontister's little people.

The little people couldn't live on any planet in the Solar system, unfortunately.

bobbym · 2013-06-01 21:06:37

I no longer remember what exactly a little person is or does. I do remember working on the problem him though.

Interesting how many theories have popped up about Pluto.

anonimnystefy · 2013-06-02 00:01:52

It is interesting though, that they could live on the Moon.

bobbym · 2013-06-02 00:10:54

Yes, they could. Perhaps the name can be changed to Plooto, then maybe they would suddenly appear their in great numbers.

anonimnystefy · 2013-06-02 00:18:53

Oh, they would love that.

bobbym · 2013-06-02 00:30:28

Spontaneous generation was sort of disproved by Pasteur and his contemporaries. Since the little people would spontaneously appear there a name change clearly violates the laws of nature as they are presently understood. Pluto can not become Plooto.

Mathegocart · 2013-06-02 04:03:45

anonimnystefy wrote:

I think it is better that way. I mean, having asteroids in the Solar system (and which orbit the Sun) that are larger than Pluto is kinda awkward.

Yeah,pluto is a giant rock that goes wierdly.

mathaholic · 2013-06-02 15:24:00

Weirdly?

bobbym · 2013-06-02 17:15:10

Hi;

He meant the orbit.

http://airandspace.si.edu/etp/pluto/pluto_orbit.html

barbie19022002 · 2013-06-02 18:20:16

Pluto has a elliptical path...(oval)....for which at time the temperature is extreme there....but pluto also has frozen water....when it goes near the sun the water melt...and comes in the liquid form...but when it is closest to the sun it becomes vapor...and since the atmosphere of the Pluto is very thin the vapor escapes into the space.....

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2013-05-31 17:35:42

Pluto

#2 2013-05-31 17:39:24

Re: Pluto

#3 2013-05-31 17:40:17

Re: Pluto

#4 2013-05-31 17:44:46

Re: Pluto

#5 2013-05-31 17:45:45

Re: Pluto

#6 2013-05-31 17:46:06

Re: Pluto

#7 2013-05-31 17:46:51

Re: Pluto

#8 2013-05-31 17:48:47

Re: Pluto

#9 2013-05-31 18:02:06

Re: Pluto

#10 2013-05-31 18:03:14

Re: Pluto

#11 2013-05-31 18:49:34

Re: Pluto

#12 2013-05-31 18:53:33

Re: Pluto

#13 2013-06-01 02:09:41

Re: Pluto

#14 2013-06-01 06:19:58

Re: Pluto

#15 2013-06-01 18:07:02

Re: Pluto

#16 2013-06-01 18:39:21

Re: Pluto

#17 2013-06-01 21:06:37

Re: Pluto

#18 2013-06-02 00:01:52

Re: Pluto

#19 2013-06-02 00:10:54

Re: Pluto

#20 2013-06-02 00:18:53

Re: Pluto

#21 2013-06-02 00:30:28

Re: Pluto

#22 2013-06-02 04:03:45

Re: Pluto

#23 2013-06-02 15:24:00

Re: Pluto

#24 2013-06-02 17:15:10

Re: Pluto

#25 2013-06-02 18:20:16

Re: Pluto

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