Fight for Pluto !, A Campaign to Reverse the Unjust Demotion |
Fight for Pluto !, A Campaign to Reverse the Unjust Demotion |
Aug 24 2006, 08:24 PM
Post
#1
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: 19-March 05 From: Princeton, NJ, USA Member No.: 212 |
Dear Friends,
Today I am extremely dissapointed that the Pluto Demoters have triumphed. I respect their opinion, but disagree with it. I strongly agree with Alan Stern's statement calling it "absurd" that only 424 astronomers were allowed to vote, out of some 10,000 professional astronomers around the globe. This tiny group is clearly not at all representative by mathematics alone. I believe we should formulate a plan to overturn this unjust decision and return Pluto to full planetary status, and as the first member of a third catagory of planets, Xena being number two. Thus a total of 10 Planets in our Solar System Please respond if you agree that Pluto should be restored as a planet. ken Ken Kremer Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton Program Chairman |
|
|
Guest_DonPMitchell_* |
Aug 24 2006, 09:05 PM
Post
#2
|
Guests |
I agree, this is an arbitrary ruling by a small subset of astronomers. And who even says that astronomers alone get to decide? How many people involved in space research today have a degree in astronomy?
JRehling makes an important point. Any petition to reverse the ruling is likely to become fragmented by people promoting various different defintions of "planet". |
|
|
Aug 24 2006, 09:19 PM
Post
#3
|
|
Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 34 Joined: 9-January 06 Member No.: 639 |
At any rate, I'm in! What if it turns out Pluto and UB313 are the only TNOs over 2000 km in diameter out to several hundred AU? I also agree a new planet class should be created, perhaps one that covers bodies in the 2000-6000 km diameter range. Call it Sub-Terrestrial Planet? Then have bodies smaller than 2000 km called "dwarf planets?" Later!
J P |
|
|
Aug 24 2006, 10:20 PM
Post
#4
|
|
Interplanetary Dumpster Diver Group: Admin Posts: 4405 Joined: 17-February 04 From: Powell, TN Member No.: 33 |
This could really get messy if they find a Pluto-type world the size of Mercury or larger. Also, the fact that the differences between Mercury and Pluto, for example, generate a distinction, but not the differences between Mercury and Jupiter - this is disturbing.
-------------------- |
|
|
Aug 24 2006, 10:32 PM
Post
#5
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 532 Joined: 19-February 05 Member No.: 173 |
Poll at chicagotribune.com...
Do you agree with the International Astronomical Union's decision to strip Pluto of its planetary status? 33.6% Yes (1559 responses) 66.4% No (3076 responses) 4635 total responses CNN - Were scientists correct in downgrading Pluto's status? Yes - 26170 No - 43737 |
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 10th November 2024 - 06:10 PM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |