[meteorite-list] Observed lunar meteorite impacts hit 100

[Mark Ford]

Yes, Agreed the labels are useful, but isn't it time to have a (in a
Pluto-planet style controversial type way! ;) reclassification of names
debate? 

 'Asteroid' usually means something in the asteroid belt.

'Comet' means, hmm what exactly does comet mean? - Ok yes an object on
eccentric orbit around sun, which outgasses.. 

'NEO' near earth asteroid, ok slight breach of the earlier definition
(like saying something is a far away from sun comet?)

See its all in a mess!!

I reckon we should be calling them all asteroids or something, and
comets should be re-labeled 'outgassing asteroids' or similar.

Or maybe micro-Planetoids...

Just a thought.

Mark Ford



-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Crawford [mailto:mark at meteorites.cc] 
Sent: 22 May 2008 12:38
To: Mark Ford
Cc: Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Observed lunar meteorite impacts hit 100

I don't, personally, see it as a hard distinction. The labels are more  
for convenience - comets tend to be 'wetter and oilier', and more  
often are in eccentric orbits. Asteroids tend not to exhibit coma/tail  
because in a more stable orbits, they would either have lost most of  
their volatiles long ago (close in), or not be significantly shedding  
them (farther out).

They may be manifestations of the same thing, but the labels are still  
useful (cf water/ice/steam).

Mark


Quoting Mark Ford <mark.ford at ssl.gb.com>:

>
> Good point Larry.
>
> But I can't understand why people are still carefully distinguishing
> between comets and Asteroids?, I think by now we can assume they are
> basically one and the same, and not some exotic different species. To
me
> it's just that some rocks are more 'wet and oily' than others...
>


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