"Pluto is dead" - Mike Brown, It's official Options

[Julius]

Sorry I have been away for a while!Is that THE real ALAN STERN?I have a question:Since Charon,nix and Hydra seem to have originated from impacts with Pluto,would it be reasonable to assume that we should be seeing big impact craters on Pluto,unless of course there is some process that is refreshing the surface to obliterate such major events??What are the predictions if any have been made??

[Alan Stern]

Sorry I have been away for a while!Is that THE real ALAN STERN?I have a question:Since Charon,nix and Hydra seem to have originated from impacts with Pluto,would it be reasonable to assume that we should be seeing big impact craters on Pluto,unless of course there is some process that is refreshing the surface to obliterate such major events??What are the predictions if any have been made??

THe giant collision that produced Charon, Nix, and Hydra did not leave an impact scar because it remelted
Pluto. For KBO collisions and cratering predicts on Pluto and Charon, see Durda & Stern (2000) in
Icarus; I belirve these remain the latest model calculations.

-Alan

[djellison]

I guess one could use the Earth / Moon formation as an analogy. We don't see a enormous crater on Earth from the impact that created our moon.

(and yes - that's the real Alan )

Doug

[Jyril]

Here's the link about wandering gas giants AlexBlackwell posted earlier.

[Julius]

Thanks for your feedback Alan,much appreciated.I dont agree with the 'Pluto is Dead' title to this forum.Pluto is more alive than ever.Until recently. no one could ever dream of having a probe flying toward Pluto and perhaps other KBOS.Planet or not,doesnt matter....whats in a name???

[djellison]

.I dont agree with the 'Pluto is Dead' title to this forum

I think that's the point Those are Mike Browns words - and I think the majority in this forum disagree with them.

Doug

[Alan Stern]

This thread reminds me of the old thrust and parry:

"God is dead" --Nietzsche
"Nietzsche is dead"-- God

We'll see where the planet debate ends.

[Guest_DonPMitchell_*]

I think we should vote again. Amateur enthusiasts get one vote. Professional astronomers get 2 votes, and people who have launched a probe to Pluto get 100 votes. :-)

[Alan Stern]

I think we should vote again. Amateur enthusiasts get one vote. Professional astronomers get 2 votes, and people who have launched a probe to Pluto get 100 votes. :-)

If only.

[Julius]

Planet or not,no big deal!To be honest I was not particularly keen about having the solar system numbering 13 planets as was being suggested prior to the voting.I believe that Pluto's proper place lies with the KBOs.Personally,Pluto has not been demoted or anything.My interest in NH has not dwindled .I would like Pluto to look like Triton of Neptune;Surely that would be interesting provided that NH will have 6 months of observations whereas Voyager just flew by Triton over a matter of days. Wish we had more time with Triton.Hope to be around in 2015 to see the Plutonian system.

[ugordan]

NH will have 6 months of observations whereas Voyager just flew by Triton over a matter of days.

I think that's a bit incorrect. Voyager 2 began observing both Neptune and Triton well in advance of the closest approach date. Take this Photojournal release for example, dated July 3, it's a month and a half before August 25, C/A date. NH will also fly by Pluto in "a matter of days", but that doesn't mean an extensive observation campaign won't take place before.

[SigurRosFan]

134340 - Pluto's minor planet number.

[karolp]

134340 - Pluto's minor planet number.

And where does that come from? Is it the next unassigned number? How about 90210...

[Jyril]

Go to http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/MPDes.html and type "Pluto" and you'll get

(134340) Pluto

Additional identifications = Object Lowell Observatory = X

[volcanopele]

When does Earth get its minor planet number? ....