IAU Classifies Pluto & Eris As "Plutoids"

Kligat writes "The International Astronomical Union has decided that Pluto and Eris should be classified as "plutoids," alongside their 2006 classification as dwarf planets. Under the definition, the self-gravity of a plutoid is enough for it to achieve a near-spherical shape, but not enough for it to clear its orbit of its rocky neighbors, and the plutoid orbits the Sun beyond Neptune." Reader FiReaNGeL links to a similar story at e! Science News.

Comments

Just as good as "Alex and Nikki"

[Zymergy]

In college I knew a 'dancer' who had named her 2 breasts "Alex and Nikki"!
As I recall, they each had "...a near-spherical shape, but not enough for it to clear its orbit of its rocky neighbors..."
-I suppose naming them "Pluto and Eris" would have worked equally as well...

How irrelevant my past accomplishments

[Anonymous Coward]

my award-winning 5th grade planet mobile becomes even more irrelevant.

Re:Other solar systems?

[Skye16]

Also, it's patronizing. It's like trying to pass off Civil Unions as just as good as Marriage. You can try, but everyone sees through such cheap tricks.

Honestly, if you're just going to say no, say no. This is like saying "no, honey, you can't have a cell phone, you're only 12. but here, i got you this plastic cell phone that holds candy!"

Your daughter would be well within her rights to kick you right between the legs for excessive dickitry.

Slight ommission

[Waffle Iron]

Under the definition, the self-gravity of a plutoid is enough for it to achieve a near-spherical shape, but not enough for it to clear its orbit of its rocky neighbors, and the plutoid orbits the Sun beyond Neptune.

The summary fails to mention one further requirement: For an object to be considered a true Plutoid, it must posses a "curiously strong" flavor.

Pluto on its way out?

[jeiler]

First it got demoted, then given a brand new (and largely meaningless) title. I expect Pluto to get a pink slip any day now.

What's in a name? A lot actually

[jamrock]

Or in other words, what does the terminology matter?

Imagine if the former ninth planet had been named after Hemos, and then a class of similar objects given a derivative of that name. We'd have to put up with "Hemorrhoids circling Uranus" jokes until the heat death of the Universe.

Galactic Lampoon's Summer Vacation!

[mandark1967]

Let's be honest here. We all know the reason Pluto was re-classified to throw off the Tom Tom of our, now lost, Galactic Overlords.

Galactic Overlords: "Tom Tom! Where is this "Earth"?!"
Tom Tom: "Make a left at the 9th Planet."
Galactic Overlord: "WTF?!?! There IS NO NINTH PLANET, Tom Tom!"
Galactic Overlord's Mother-in-law: "I told you, Rory! You should have made a right at Uranus! If you can't find a PLANET, HTF were you able to find my daughter's birth tube?!"
Galactic Overlord Jr.: "Are we there yet?"
Galactic Overlord: "Dammit! Don't make me pull over this Star Destroyer!"
Galactic Overlord Jr.: "I gotta pee!"