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Definition of Planet to be Announced in September

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the bigger-than-a-breadbox dept.

MasaMuneCyrus writes "After over seven years of debating, the International Astronomical Union announced that it expects to announce the official definition of a planet in September. After many-a-deadlock, they handed the task of deciding exactly what a planet is to a new committee, which includes historians and educators. 'They wanted a different perspective from that of planetary scientists,' said Edward Bowell, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory who is also vice president of the IAU's Division III-Planetary Systems Sciences group. If all goes according to plan, the wording will be proposed in their 12-day General Assembly meeting in Prague."

5 of 200 comments (clear)

  1. Who cares? by Spazntwich · · Score: 0, Troll

    It's great that some random internationally sanctioned body is going to announce some arbitrary definition of a planet, but what does this mean to those of us who only care about a LIFE SUPPORTING planet?

    1. Re:Who cares? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      Hell, this is slashdot, land of copyright/patent/IP bashing, and wholesale plagerism by Roland "Blogwhore" Piquepali (or however you spell it). Who cares about one person's unattributed quote?

      P.s.: who the heck the quote from anyway? I wanta say Bill Waterson...

  2. Tangible? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I'll bet this definition will cover planets "detected" in orbit of other stars that can't even be proven to exist. Astronomers like nothing more than assumptions on assumptions on assumptions with the barest hint of actual physical empirical evidence. Its perfect for baffling and dazzling funding providors. Clearly the IAU is in dire need of some real science if this is what occupies their time. IUPAC, as an intrument of valid and active science has never had such difficulties.

  3. Sad News - Stephen Hawking dead... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I just heard some sad news on talk radio - Physics/Astronomy writer and professor Stephen Hawking was found dead in his Oxford home this morning. There weren't any more details. I'm sure everyone in the Slashdot community will miss him - even if you didn't reading his books, there's no denying his contributions to educated science. Truly an Human icon.

  4. Re:anyone want to place bets on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Only uhmericans call Pluto a planet, this whole "debate" is because yanks can't keep their creepy religion of Manifest Destiny out of Science. Pluto was invented by DisneyJesus to symbolise capitalism. The oddest bit is two thirds of them won't believe in it anyway because it's not in their abridged bible. Maybe the definition will include reference to Noah.