[meteorite-list] 'Plutons' Push Planet Total Up To 12

[Larry Lebofsky]

Hi Darren:

I promised myself to not be the one to send out a dozen emails on a subject, 
but I seem to be breaking my own promise.

I do not have the information in front of me, but will attempt to contact the 
person who knows the answer. (how big of an object can still be "out there" and 
not detected)

What happens when you find something that is say the size of the Moon or just a 
little smaller than Mercury at the outer edges of the Kuiper Belt. This is not 
out of the question. What do you call it then? Just say too bad we have 9 (or 8 
planets) and that is life? Science is not done that way it is dynamic and 
things do change. Granted my example with the Earth-centered system was going 
too far (I admit when I am wrong). When Archaea were first discovered, did 
biologists ignor them because they did not fit into the existing Eukaryota and 
Bacteria scheme? You need to be able to classify things and be willing to 
quantify classifications so that new discoveries can fit into these (or you 
create a new class). 

Saying that this is just the "opinion" of a group of astronomers shows a 
disrespect for astronomy as a science. Yes, you can have your own opinion. 
However, a lot of time and thought and research went into this proposal. It is 
more than just an opinion. It is solidly based on observation and the physical 
nature of the objects in our Solar System and other objects that are likely to 
be found in the future. Is is perfect? Probably not. But it is necessary.

Larry


Quoting Darren Garrison <cynapse at charter.net>:

> On Wed, 16 Aug 2006 09:26:39 -0700, you wrote:
> 
> >science. If you were teaching in 1930 would you have left the Solar System
> with 
> >8 planets? or in the early 1700s, kept the Solar System at 6 planets? 
> >Traditionally, the Earth is the center of the universe, why not let well
> enough 
> >alone?
> 
> The difference is, the idea that the Earth is the center of the solar system
> was
> proven incorrect, so that "theory" was replaced with one with the sun at the
> center.  Wherther or not Pluto is a planet is a semantic opinion, though--
> little different than debating on how many angels can dance on the head of a
> needle.  People have the right to disagree with opinions, even if it is with
> the
> opinions of the top astronomers in the field.  Myself, I think the opinion
> of
> calling KBOs and Ceres planets seems to be just a way to keep calling Pluto
> a
> planet and makes a royal mess that will just get worse as more KBOs are
> discovered.  So, not only in 1930, in 2006 if I were teaching I'd want to
> teach
> that there are 8 planets, plus KBOs, asteroids, and comets.
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