Dwarf Planets Accumulate In Outer Solar System

An anonymous reader tips a piece in Australian Geographic indicating that Pluto may be in for another demotion, as researchers work to define dwarf planets more exactly. "[Australian researchers] now argue that the radius which defines a dwarf planet should instead be from 200–300 km, depending on whether the object is made of ice or rock. They base their smaller radius on the limit at which objects naturally form a spherical rather than potato-like shape because of 'self-gravity.' Icy objects less than 200 km (or rocky objects less than 300 km) across are likely to be potato shapes, while objects larger than this are spherical. ... They call this limit the 'potato radius' ... [One researcher is quoted] 'I have no problem with there being hundreds of dwarf planets eventually.'"

Comments

Proper nomenclature

[BadAnalogyGuy]

The preferred term is size-challenged planets.

Pluto is pissed

[tpstigers]

And is forming a gang. We could be in big trouble here.

The gang shall be called

[spun]

Snowy cold and the several dwarfs.

nobody tosses a dwarf planet off the list

[jollyreaper]

Plutoids ain't got no reason to live.

Better name

[jlebrech]

Just name them potato planets.

In space, no one can hear you sing.

[moviepig.com]

Dwarf Planets Accumulate In Outer Solar System

"Heigh-ho, heigh-ho..."

Re:Let it go

[Nadaka]

The moon does not orbit the earth, nor the sun. The earth doesn't orbit the sun for that matter.

The earth/moon system orbits its barycenter and that barycenter, the sun and barycenter of the other planet systems orbit the combined barycenter of the solar system.

I am technically correct, and that is the best type of correct.

Re:Let it go

[Red Flayer]

Shame on you for not recognizing a Futurama reference. Please surrender your geek card immediately

Aw, crap. Please, can I get an exception this one time? Please?

I've been a little busy building and programming my fleshy robot companion, so I'm behind a couple seasons on watching Futurama and other nerd canon.

I promise I'll get caught up as soon as I get the hip actuators working properly.