[meteorite-list] IAU SPEAKS OUT ON 2003 UB313 PLANET STATUS

[E. L. Jones]

Greetings,

Wasn't Pluto given dual status a few years back when it was facing 
demotion. I thought in addition to the 9th planet it was assigned KBO 
1000...right? wrong?  partially right?

Elton

Sterling K. Webb wrote:

>Hi,
>
>    The IAU has made an official announcement
>on the question of whether or not 2003 UB313
>IS or IS NOT a planet:
><http://www.iau.org/IAU/FAQ/2003_UB313.html>
>
>    Wise beaurocrats, they have decided NOT
>to decide FOR NOW.
>
>    "The discovery of 2003 UB313 has precipitated
>the need for such a definition in order to decide
>whether 2003 UB313 is to be classified as a planet
>or not. Until then the object will not be given an
>official name by the IAU."
>
>    Discover Brown's web site says:
>
>    "We have recently discussed the status of
>the object and of the name with members of the
>IAU who decide such things. As far as we can
>determine several activities are taking place:
>A special committee of the International
>Astronomical Union (IAU)is trying to decide
>precisely what to classify this as.
>    Another committee of the IAU which vets
>names for asteroids and Kuiper belt objects is
>mulling over the name that we suggested upon
>discovery.
>    Yet another committee of the IAU which approves
>names for features on major planets and
>satellites has suggested that if the object
>is declared a major planet the naming falls
>strictly to them, and they have suggested that
>the name should continue the Greco-Roman
>tradition of the previous planets.
>    We have a couple of interesting choices
>in mind in that case."
>
>    All things in time...
>
>
>Sterling K. Webb
>
>
>
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