Comments on: Still no status on the planet name http://www.tenthplanet.info/2006/01/20/still-no-status-on-the-planet-name/ Chronicling the discovery of the tenth planet Wed, 15 Dec 2010 22:05:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: bob http://www.tenthplanet.info/2006/01/20/still-no-status-on-the-planet-name/comment-page-1/#comment-153 bob Thu, 16 Mar 2006 05:22:09 +0000 http://www.tenthplanet.info/2006/01/20/still-no-status-on-the-planet-name/#comment-153 the name is limbo or Xena the name is limbo or Xena

]]> By: Peter Wetzel http://www.tenthplanet.info/2006/01/20/still-no-status-on-the-planet-name/comment-page-1/#comment-121 Peter Wetzel Wed, 25 Jan 2006 11:28:16 +0000 http://www.tenthplanet.info/2006/01/20/still-no-status-on-the-planet-name/#comment-121 Not having the background to the argue nuances of what defines a planet *scientifically*, I agree with Mike Brown's position, as I understand it, that *culture* should drive the IAU decision. After 76 years, we should't take Pluto away and say it is not a planet. Nor would it make sense to prevent an object of similar provenance to Pluto, which is larger, from being called a planet. The inner 8 planets are of two distinct types, rocky ones and gas giants. Pluto, by being "grandfathered" in, should allow for a third class of planet, of which 2003 UB313 ("Xena") ought to be recognized as the second known example. I personally favor using Pluto as an arbitrary benchmark for minimum size (regardless of mass). Thus I would define any object that orbits the sun (i.e. isn't a "moon" of another planet), and has a diameter greater than or equal to that of Pluto as a "culturally recognized planet". Thanks for creating this blog, thus allowing me to express my opinion! -- Pete Wetzel NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, retired Not having the background to the argue nuances of what defines a planet *scientifically*, I agree with Mike Brown’s position, as I understand it, that *culture* should drive the IAU decision. After 76 years, we should’t take Pluto away and say it is not a planet. Nor would it make sense to prevent an object of similar provenance to Pluto, which is larger, from being called a planet. The inner 8 planets are of two distinct types, rocky ones and gas giants. Pluto, by being “grandfathered” in, should allow for a third class of planet, of which 2003 UB313 (“Xena”) ought to be recognized as the second known example. I personally favor using Pluto as an arbitrary benchmark for minimum size (regardless of mass). Thus I would define any object that orbits the sun (i.e. isn’t a “moon” of another planet), and has a diameter greater than or equal to that of Pluto as a “culturally recognized planet”.

Thanks for creating this blog, thus allowing me to express my opinion!

– Pete Wetzel
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, retired

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