[meteorite-list] Why Planets Will Never Be Defined

[Chris Peterson]

Come on, Marco, this is the dispassionate world of science! Surely you 
aren't suggesting that scientists play politics? <g>

Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marco Langbroek" <marco.langbroek at wanadoo.nl>
To: "meteorite list" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2006 3:39 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Why Planets Will Never Be Defined


>
>> "The second division was along national lines," Morrison explained.
>> "Some astronomers seemed irritated by perceived American domination 
>> of
>> the process. Some felt, with considerable justification in my 
>> opinion,
>> that some Americans astronomers defended Pluto as a planet in large 
>> part
>> because an American had discovered it. As in so many other 
>> international
>> contexts, there can be reaction against perceived American 
>> arrogance."
>
> I hesitate to say so knowing it will raise sentiments on this list: 
> but Morrison
> is right, this is indeed how many here in Europe have perceived the 
> issue. Mind
> you, it not only concerned the status of Pluto, but also the status of 
> 2003
> UB313, discovered by Brown...an American too.
>
> In fact, and I hesitated to say so when we had the discussion raging 
> on this
> list a few months ago but do so now: many Europeans from the small 
> solar system
> body community feel the same thing is behind the controversy of who 
> discovered
> 2003 EL61 - the Spanish team of Ortiz et al., or the American team of 
> Brown et
> al. You can see the same divide along lines of nationality in the two 
> opposing
> sides in that debate. Many Europeans take side with Ortiz et al. 
> against what
> they perceive as a case of the sueing culture and mighty PR machinery 
> of
> Americans at work here.
>
> - Marco