Join The Club
I read this on MSNBC.com today:
“The tally of planets in our solar system would jump instantly to a dozen under a highly controversial new definition proposed by the International Astronomical Union.
Eventually, there would be hundreds of planets, as more round objects are found beyond Neptune.”
(You can find the article and read the rest here.)
So, we may wind up with more than nine planets in our solar system. That’s fine, although I’m sure students would long for the MVEMJSUNP (Mercury, Venus, Earth…) days if it ever got to the MVEMSUNPDJSHGOIENGLKSNGLISNGLSNGZ point.
What bothers me is the ease with which space masses will be able to attain planethood. All we have to do is change the definition of “planet”, and many of them are in. Good to go. Part of the “in” crowd. But I think that’s too easy. There should be more required. I think the planet needs to show that it WANTS to attain planethood. And essay would be nice…even a video tape (with the asteroid or space rock telling us why it wants to become a planet) would be a good start. But even better, I think we should treat celestial bodies with more of a fraternity-type mindset.
Astronomers should choose seven days in the fall and declare those days “Rush Week.” All space rocks wishing to become planets would then go through certain “tests” to prove their worthiness.
NASA could rocket mass quantities of goldfish, beer, and branding irons into outer space so that the original nine planets could carry on the centuries-old tradition of planet hazing. And of course, we want pictures.
All space rocks that made it through the hazing would be declared “planets” and thus gain respect from their peers (as well as the weaker space rock pledges who started crying after being duct-taped to a flagpole for 4 hours in their skivvies).
After this, I anticipate a movie/documentary about these activities. May I suggest the title of “Mineral House”?
Bev responds:
Posted: August 16th, 2006 at 11:13 pm →
I’ve known about one planet past Pluto for a while. I have also heard arguments that Pluto isn’t really a planet.
And without giving you all of the boring details, Both arguments make sense.
To get a Physics degree at Ferris State you have to take a couple of these astromony classes. I listened, took it in and puked it back up to pass. It worked. I remember some of it.
My understanding is, the only way they found one of these extra plants was by looking at pictures from years and comparing the to now. They nocited at a speck had moved a fraciton of an inch.
I don’t think they have the ability to look at the plants yet with telescopes.
I think you make areally good point about memorizing all the leters. If we start counting moons, like they want to do with Pluto’s. That would be alot of lettes. Saturn has 15 known moons, Juipter has 16 known moons, Uranus has 26 known moons. That is alot of memorization. If you want pictures of all the moons I talked aobut I sugessest wikipedia.
Hope everyone enjoys the usless information.
Rachel responds:
Posted: August 17th, 2006 at 8:21 am →
Make them go through planet hazing. No one should get a promotion without sacrifce and some form of corporal humiliation.
Playtah responds:
Posted: August 17th, 2006 at 9:02 am →
Bev–Thanks for the information! And wow–a Physics degree! But I do have a question….you said “Uranus has 26 known moons.”
My WHAT has HOW many moons?
Rachel–Exactly.
Thomas responds:
Posted: August 17th, 2006 at 9:49 am →
Morning!
Thomas responds:
Posted: August 17th, 2006 at 10:17 am →
So there are three new planets, right?
minijonb responds:
Posted: August 17th, 2006 at 11:27 am →
i’m my own planet… the International Astronomical Union just doesn’t know it yet =;-)
Bev responds:
Posted: August 17th, 2006 at 11:33 am →
If I speed it wrong you are going to have to help me out. I even looked up on the internet. Physics I can handle, spelling, not so much. After doing some more research it has 27 moons.
Playtah responds:
Posted: August 17th, 2006 at 11:41 am →
Thomas–Morning to you, too! (Well, afternoon now.) Yes, there would be 3 more planets at this point if they start using the new definition of “planet” that they’re working on now.
minijonb–Should I ask you about your moons?
Bev–You spelled it right, I was just making a joke on the name Uranus (because it sounds like “your anus”). I reverted back to junior high.
Bev responds:
Posted: August 17th, 2006 at 5:46 pm →
I thought you were going back there, but when it comes to spelling I had to make sure.
Gracie responds:
Posted: August 17th, 2006 at 7:46 pm →
‘MIN-ER-AL HOWSE! (WA-OOOOOOOOOOOH)
MIN-ER-AL HOWSE! (WA-OOOOOOOOOOOH)’
like my falsetto?