[meteorite-list] PLANET CERES AND THE 22ND CONSTELLATION OF THE ZODIAC

[Sterling K. Webb]

Dear List,


    Our old correspondent MexicoDoug ask me to
forward this message to the meteorite-list as he is
not subscribed but obviously still reading!
(I wondered where Doug had gotten to.)

Sterling K. Webb
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Sterling and List,
While everyone from the eyeballs inside Hubble telescope to Casey Station 
enjoys this fun but and silly debate on what constitutes "the right stuff" 
for being a Planet (can we do a better example for the kids and go back to 
astronauts and more meaningful stuff), it is my pleasure to announce for 
your viewing pleasure:

On August 11, the historical planet Ceres made its closest pass to Earth! 
And then on August 12 at 09:15 UTC it registered its specific opposition to 
the IAU and Earth in general. No doubt the Cererians argued before the 
League of Astronomical Justice to make their case - such is a conspiracy the 
IAU has gotten involved itself doing. Not only is Ceres a planet now...it is 
a "superior planet". Thus we can observe wonderful Ceres as She leaves 
opposition (opposition vs. the Sun actually from Earth's perspective which 
gives the best views) now as a full fledged Superior Planet. Most minor 
planets are superior of course...and I'm sure Brian Marsden knew that.

While Ceres's day in the Sun's Limelight for Earthlings is a few days past - 
that is- the day you can unclothe your eyes and try an almost naked look for 
the fertile goddess Ceres, she continues today at about 7.64 magnitude - a 
very easy binocular target for peeping astronomers. (A brightness which 
place her between Uranus, a naked eye target planet missed by the ancients 
at least in recognition as a wanderer, and the dimmer Neptune. Hurrah for 
the third Woman Planet!!!

If you happen to view from just the right place (The ISS in the dark, and 
with an acute 9-year old's vision accompanying you, maybe?), you might spy 
her, the superior planet Ceres, this week in the Constellation Piscis 
Australis at about magnitude of 7.62 (at close approach). Normally this 
brightness is three times dimmer than any normal Earthling can detect with 
their unaided eyes. Piscis Australis is not one of the zodiacal 
constellations (though in mythology it is the father of the Pisces that 
are). It's hooked "sharing" the bright Star Fomalhaut with Aquarius's water 
jug and borders Capricornus...The Moon and other traditional planets haven't 
tread in Piscis Australis since the conceptualization of the constellations 
as far as I can tell, so there will now be 22 constellations in the zodiac 
for the wanderers, instead of 21...and probably a few more as we inventory 
the constellations.  I wonder what the ancients would have said about our 
expanding the zodiac while we are at it. Maybe Chris is right, the 
"committee" hasn't heeded much of history in it's IMO pseudoscientific 
quest. Well, no doubt it will be doomed to repeat itself in the next orbit 
as the sky is thankfully quite resistant to then present bureaucracy and 
filled with other wonders we can dedicate our time more efficiently 
exploring.

Yet, an arguable common wisdom has left the zodiac with its traditional and 
only 12 constellations, as sure as Pluto will continue to rise in Ophiuchus, 
together with the Sun and Venus on November 30, 2006...both rising also in 
Ophiuchus nicely aligned with Mercury, Mars and Jupiter nearby watching the 
latest snake trying for a bite of the zooIAUc.

Saludos, Doug

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------