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

[Gerald Flaherty]

"everyday speakers of English call them, ROCKS. Doesn't
matter what they go 'round."

Priceless.
Jerry Flaherty
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sterling K. Webb" <sterling_k_webb at sbcglobal.net>
To: <cynapse at charter.net>; "Meteorite Mailing List" 
<meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] 'Plutons' Push Planet Total Up To 
12--MikeBrown's view



> Hi, Darren, List,

>

>

> SIZE:

>    Two satellites, Ganymede (5262 km) and Titan (5150 km),

> are bigger than the planet Mercury (4878 km). Seven satellites

> are bigger than Pluto (2320 km): Callisto (4800 km), Io (3630 km),

> Our Moon (3474 km), Europa (3138 km) and Triton (2706 km),

> in addition to Ganymede and Titan.

>

> COMPOSITION:

>    (I think) Ganymede, Callisto, Io, Europa and Triton

> (and Ceres) are "Plutonic" bodies in composition. I suspect

> Titan is also, but uniquely volatile rich (like all the Saturn

> system). The Moon is clearly just doing its own thing...

>

> NOMENCLATURE:

>    Yes, many satellites are "planetary bodies," in the physical

> compositional and size sense. They are "worlds," no doubt

> about it. And I mean that literally; that's what I call'em: WORLDS.

>

>    So, I organize my head thusly:

> Planetary Bodies ("Worlds") that orbit the Sun are PLANETS.

> Planetary Bodies ("Worlds") that orbit a Planet are SATELLITES.

> Bodies that are too small, too irregular to be Planets are PARKING LOTS.

>

> No, wait, that's not right! OK, try again:

> Planetary Bodies ("Worlds") that orbit the Sun are PLANETS.

> Planetary Bodies ("Worlds") that orbit a Planet are SATELLITES.

> Bodies that are planetary in composition but too small and

> too irregular to be Planets are PLANETOIDS, or as Chris'

> everyday speakers of English call them, ROCKS. Doesn't

> matter what they go 'round.

>

>    I try to think ahead in shaping my definitions. I want

> them to last. It's 2258. You're living on The Moon. You're

> bored. You've done all the Lunar sports. The Lunar scenery

> is all boringly the same. Lunar society is stodgy and settled,

> way too conservative and old-fashioned (they've been there

> for like, forever.) Then you notice your neighbor clearing

> out his place, not just moving stuff or cleaning house, but

> sweating it down to the 200 kg limit for an interplanetary move.

>    You are envious. He's going to the new Titan colony (no

> more vacuum suits like the Moon) or maybe Ganymede, the

> richest World in the System. You strike up a conversation,

> "Heading out for a new World, huh?" He waves his hand

> disgustedly, "Nah, I just got transferred to Vesta -- it ain't

> nothing but a Rock." Hardly any gravity, perpetual water

> shortages, a grimy industrial backwater (without the water).

> No wonder he's pissed...

>    Suddenly, the Moon doesn't seem so bad. Sure, you

> learn to be careful with water, but nobody runs out. Yeah,

> the scenery is stark, but then you remember your last trip

> to that resort in the Lunar Apennines and the view down

> almost 20,000 feet to the Mare. And people on the Moon

> are basically friendly, helpful,  easy-going, like one big small

> town, not sour and grim like, well, Vestans. It may be a small

> World, but it's no Rock!

>

>

> Sterling K. Webb

> -----------------------------------------------------------------

> ----- Original Message ----- 

> From: "Darren Garrison" <cynapse at charter.net>

> To: "Meteorite Mailing List" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>

> Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 4:53 PM

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

> MikeBrown's view

>

>

> "That would make Caltech researcher Mike Brown, who found 2003 UB313, 

> formally

> the discoverer of the 12th planet. But he thinks it's a lousy idea.

>

> "It's flattering to be considered discoverer of the 12th planet," Brown 

> said in

> a telephone interview. He applauded the committee's efforts but said the 

> overall

> proposal is "a complete mess." By his count, the definition means there 

> are

> already 53 known planets in our solar system, with countless more to be

> discovered.

>

> Brown and another expert said the proposal, being put forth Wednesday at 

> the IAU

> General Assembly meeting in Prague, is not logical. For example, Brown 

> said, it

> does not make sense to consider Ceres and Charon planets and not call our 

> moon

> (which is bigger than both) a planet."

>

> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14364833/

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