roblog

The International Astronomical Union decided yesterday that Pluto no longer has the status of a planet. Following the new definition there only eight planets left, not twelve as some may expected.

Plutos fate was a topic on thursdays agenda of the astronomy congress in Prague. The acclamation by 2500 scientists made the final decission: Pluto is no planet anymore.

After yesterdays congress there are eight classical planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus (muhaha) und Neptune), Zwergplaneten and Kleinkörper (sorry, no translation found). Pluto is now part of the Zwergplaneten (it may be dwarven-planet :)). Kleinkörpern are asteroids, comets and other object that are not moons but orbit the sun.

Planets are from now on orbs, on a close orbit to the sun and with enough mass to become an orb by their own gravity. They also have to have cleared their neighborhood of other cosmic material.

Poor little Pluto. He was my favorit.

Links:

• IAU 2006 General Assembly: Result of the IAU Resolution votes
• The IAU draft definition of “planet” and “plutons”
• The International Astronomical Union (IAU)
• Wikipedia: IAU

via: Spiegel online

Update:
Mario meinte grad: “krass, na hoffentlich gibt es nicht bal d eine neue defintition für menschen und andi ist ein zwerg-mensch” :)

New Update:
Sarah just sent me this link saying that there may be some hope for Pluto.