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Defining "Planet"

beardoc writes "The Sydney Morning Herald is running a story today about a controversial proposal to define what size a planet might be - depending on what the final definition of how big a planet is, we could end up losing Pluto (at 2300 kilometres) to the status of "asteroid" or gaining three more planets - Quaoar, Varuna and Ceres."

7 of 441 comments (clear)

  1. The definition of "planet" is universally ... by B3ryllium · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... agreed to be "Marlon Brando"

  2. A simple rule of thumb: by AEton · · Score: 5, Funny

    If someone bothered to name a Roman god after it, it's a planet. Pluto, Mars, Jupiter--all friendly planets.

    Alpha Centauri? Bah--probably a reflection off that Hubble thingy.

    --
    We recently had heard in the office over one of the Yellow Machine that's made by Anthology Solutions.
    1. Re:A simple rule of thumb: by Da+Web+Guru · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, I guess that someone needs to name a Roman god "Earth"...

      --

      --guru

  3. Planet by blair1q · · Score: 5, Funny


    Planet: n. Any object orbiting a star, not orbiting a planet, and having a radius greater than the radius of Pluto minus one millimeter.

  4. Bah by DaLiNKz · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why do they always need to complicate things. I thought size doesnt matter.

    --
    I've left to find myself. If you happen to see me, please, keep me there until I return.
  5. This is deeply troubling by WankersRevenge · · Score: 5, Funny

    As a representative one of the nine planets, I find this proposal deeply troubling, especially since there are not any other representatives from the other eight. Once a planet is classified as an "asteroid" or "floating piece of shit with gravity", it not only loses its prestige, but also, it cannot apply for federal grants, and hence, usually suffers a major economic blow. Laugh you may, but I've seen planets go from a heavenly body to a drunk spinning horizontal and finally distingrate into an asteroid belt in no time. We must support our planets because if we don't, then who will?

  6. Re: How do you pronounce Quaoar? by Ozymandias_KoK · · Score: 5, Funny

    Badly?