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Why the Word 'Planet' Will Never Be Defined

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the i-do-know-a-sun-is-a-mass-of-incandescent-gas dept.

eldavojohn writes "What makes a planet a planet? Slashdot covered the great debate about whether or not Pluto qualified and Space.com now has up an article explaining why we'll never have the term 'planet' defined to a point that everyone can agree on. Divisions in the scientific community currently stand over whether or not it has to be in orbit around a star, the dynamics of the body in question and apparently the country you come from plays a part in it too. Some feel the United States is the dominant deciding factor on the definition but the IAU has not turned to democratizing the definition yet." From the article: "In the broadest terms, a planet could be thought of as anything from an 800-kilometer-wide (500-mile-wide) round rock orbiting a dead star to a colossal gas ball floating alone in space."

17 of 141 comments (clear)

  1. I got one... by Nijika · · Score: 5, Funny

    Floating mass of sh*t bigger than the moon that isn't on fire, but that is orbiting some floating mass of sh*t that is, in fact, on fire.

    --
    Luck favors the prepared, darling.
    1. Re:I got one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      So your mom pacing around a burning trash can would be a planet but the rest of her skinnier homeless friends wouldn't be? That isn't fair.

    2. Re:I got one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
      Floating mass of sh*t bigger than the moon that isn't on fire, but that is orbiting some floating mass of sh*t that is, in fact, on fire.


      Respectfully, Sir, your definition is full of floating sh*t.

    3. Re:I got one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Floating mass of sh*t bigger than the moon that isn't on fire, but that is orbiting some floating mass of sh*t that is, in fact, on fire.

      Define "Moon".

    4. Re:I got one... by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 3, Funny

      Not a space station?

      --
      Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
    5. Re:I got one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Last night his mom and I became a "double planet" for awhile.

    6. Re:I got one... by Jugalator · · Score: 2, Funny

      "on fire" = "really hot and shiny" -- see also "Natalie Portman wearing bling-bling".

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  2. I thought "gas ball floating in space" was... by StressGuy · · Score: 2, Funny

    actually called an "Air Biscut"....never heard it described as a planet before, but, I suppose if it really were that colassal....

    --
    A goal is a dream with a deadline
  3. Captain Planet by PsyQo · · Score: 1, Funny

    I would define a Planet as: A relative of Captain Planet

  4. Well, according to UrbanDictionary.com a planet is by Channard · · Score: 2, Funny

    'A series of gaming sites ran by counter strike kiddies who think that half life 2 is going to be better than far cry.'. Not sure I quite get that 100%, but you can't argue with the wisdom of the internet.

  5. Oh really? by spellraiser · · Score: 4, Funny

    #define PLANET

    Don't see what's so hard about that ...

    --
    I hear there's rumors on the Slashdots
    1. Re:Oh really? by PseudoQuant · · Score: 3, Funny
      Unfortunately, your method is error prone and dependent on header order. See, I just undid your definition:

      #undef PLANET

  6. Someone's gotta say it. by Tackhead · · Score: 1, Funny

    They say that Pluto's
    Not quite a planet.
    These KBOs
    Are goofy, dammit.
    Burma Shave.

  7. Defer to Marvin by dannys42 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Anything equal to or greater than the size of Marvin's brain.

  8. Appeal the decision by PPH · · Score: 2, Funny
    If you don't like the IAU decision, file an appeal with the Intergalactic Circuit Court.


    Unfortunately, as we do not have the minimum 9 planets required to qualify as a class A solar system, we will have to wait for a trial date with a municipal court first.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  9. Planet Definition by starmanmwb · · Score: 2, Funny

    How about "It is a planet if Galactus would consume it" ?

  10. Re:Background info by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    why hasn't this been moderated up??