Talk:Pluto loses planet status

Question[edit]

The final draft states: "A planet is a celestial body that
1. is in orbit around the Sun...
Pluto did not meet one of the criteria : its orbit overlaps with Neptune's.

What does Pluto orbit? Does it orbit Neptune? nzgabriel 00:22, 25 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia's Pluto article has some more new info - apparently it needs to orbit around all the planets rather than cutting across over planets' orbits... --R2b2 00:41, 25 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Perhaps that should be clarified in the article. As of right now, the article doesn't explain why overlapping with Neptune disqualifies it. It lists three criteria, and then disqualifies it because of a fourth. And what does "cleared the neighborhood around its orbit" mean? Akrabbim 01:47, 25 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The thing with the "overlapping" can be best explained with a picture. For most people, it is difficult to understand why pluto is not a planet, because the lack knowledge about two things:

1. Pluto's eccentric orbit which is completely different from how the other 8 planets orbit. This can be best explained with a pic. See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:TheKuiperBelt_Orbits_Pluto_Ecliptic.svg and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Trans-Neptunian_object_2003_VB12.Sedna.orbit_comparisons.jpg (top-right)

2. They dont know that there are dozens of other objects out there which are similiar to pluto but which do not have much in common with the typical 8 planets. Pluto is one of them and was just "accidentelly" classified a planet in the past, although it is something different. This can be best explained via text. Mention that if pluto is a planet, then dozens of other strange bodies in the solar system would have to be called planets as well. So that in the end, there would possible be hundreds of things called "planet" but only 8 which to us would feel like "real" planets. --82.141.51.226 04:07, 25 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I've made some things clear.--Steven Fruitsmaak (Talk) 11:46, 25 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Many astronomers don't care one way or the other.[edit]

The distinction is arbitrary. Calling Pluto a planet or a dwarf or a trans-neptunic-disney-character doesn't change anything about its composition, orbit, or size. Pluto doesn't care, and many astronomers don't care either.

I can find a link and add a few lines if people think this is relevant. TRWBW 08:35, 25 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]