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
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#1
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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 |
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Aug 24 2006, 08:37 PM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 544 Joined: 17-November 05 From: Oklahoma Member No.: 557 |
I'm in.
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Aug 24 2006, 08:48 PM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 3242 Joined: 11-February 04 From: Tucson, AZ Member No.: 23 |
So am I.
-------------------- &@^^!% Jim! I'm a geologist, not a physicist!
The Gish Bar Times - A Blog all about Jupiter's Moon Io |
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Aug 24 2006, 08:49 PM
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#4
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2530 Joined: 20-April 05 Member No.: 321 |
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 You might want to carefully consider what, if any, counterproposal you make axiomatic to your movement. You might find that a majority support Pluto's planethood, but split with you on other subissues. Or, maybe you have already carefully considered the politics of it. Cheers, in any case. |
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Aug 24 2006, 09:00 PM
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#5
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Member Group: Members Posts: 809 Joined: 11-March 04 Member No.: 56 |
You might want to carefully consider what, if any, counterproposal you make axiomatic to your movement. You might find that a majority support Pluto's planethood, but split with you on other subissues. Or, maybe you have already carefully considered the politics of it. Cheers, in any case. I noted that in Jason's poll, a plurality of UMSFers voted for a proposal basically identical to the one that passed. However, a number greater than that plurality voted for a more expansive definition (more than 9 planets), but their numbers were split among several proposals. Which demonstrates your point, I think. |
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Guest_DonPMitchell_* |
Aug 24 2006, 09:05 PM
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#6
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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". |
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Aug 24 2006, 09:10 PM
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#7
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Member Group: Members Posts: 249 Joined: 11-June 05 From: Finland (62°14′N 25°44′E) Member No.: 408 |
If you don't like Pluto's demotion, consider dwarf planets as a subgroup of the "true" planets (i.e. reversion of the Resolution 5B). Problem fixed.
Besides, only time will tell if people will adopt this definition. -------------------- The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.
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Aug 24 2006, 09:19 PM
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#8
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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 |
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Aug 24 2006, 09:44 PM
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#9
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Member Group: Members Posts: 809 Joined: 11-March 04 Member No.: 56 |
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Aug 24 2006, 10:18 PM
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#10
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Member Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: 19-March 05 From: Princeton, NJ, USA Member No.: 212 |
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? Exactly. My proposal clearly is for a cut-off at 2000 km, 10 Planets known at this time. Thats reasonable and avoids the 43+ planet scenario which Mike Brown correctly points out. Thanks for the response so far. Looking forward to more. ken |
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Aug 24 2006, 10:20 PM
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#11
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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.
-------------------- |
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Aug 24 2006, 10:32 PM
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#12
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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 |
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Aug 24 2006, 10:58 PM
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#13
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Member Group: Members Posts: 249 Joined: 11-June 05 From: Finland (62°14′N 25°44′E) Member No.: 408 |
Exactly. My proposal clearly is for a cut-off at 2000 km, 10 Planets known at this time. Thats reasonable and avoids the 43+ planet scenario which Mike Brown correctly points out. Not necessarily. There may be many Pluto-sized objects waiting for discovery. -------------------- The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.
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Aug 24 2006, 11:03 PM
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#14
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Member Group: Members Posts: 249 Joined: 11-June 05 From: Finland (62°14′N 25°44′E) Member No.: 408 |
Poll at chicagotribune.com... I wonder what the result would have been if the question was "Would you like that Solar system has 50 planets?" Of course a layman (and many scientists) doesn't want to demote Pluto. It's a purely sentimental issue to him. Now the work lies making people realize that the "dwarf planets", including the giants in the asteroid belt, are interesting worlds of their own right. Not to forget major satellites. -------------------- The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.
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Aug 24 2006, 11:48 PM
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#15
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Member Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: 19-March 05 From: Princeton, NJ, USA Member No.: 212 |
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 Hi Alan, thanks for your valuable contribution. thats already > 100 x more votes than at the IAU and I just saw a TV news report showing LOTS of EMPTY SEATS at the Prague Auditorium !!! that does not impress me (as a fellow scientist) as overwhelming support for the demotion of Pluto. The Fight for Pluto has begun .... !!!!!!! as "The First Mission to the Last Planet" rockets outward to the unknown ken |
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