Ned Potter is the science correspondent for ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson." He has reported on such topics as space exploration, the human genome and climate change.
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Adding Insult to Injury
June 14, 2007 1:49 PM
You have to feel for Pluto. Last year, as you'll recall, it was demoted--no longer considered a planet. The International Astronomical Union created a new category of "dwarf planet," and said Pluto was the largest heavenly body to fit the definition.
Now a team from Caltech says that's probably not true. The more distant little world Eris, discovered in 2005 by astronomer Mike Brown, seems to be more massive.
It has a moon, called Dysnomia, and by watching how quickly it orbits, Brown and his colleague, Emily Schaller, calculate that Eris is 27 percent more massive than Pluto. They published a short paper in tomorrow's edition of Science.
Ouch.
"This is sort of Pluto's last stand," Schaller joked to AP.
"Pluto and Eris are essentially twins--except that Eris is slightly the pudgier of the two," Brown said.
There was a lot of chatter last year when the IAU did its dwarf-planet number, and a lot of people asked why any of this matters. So what if school kids have to memorize nine planets, or eight, or twelve?
The most common answer was that it's a sign we're learning things, that our knowledge of the universe is changing, and that science is alive and well.
===================
Space Station, Old Before its Time
The thing isn't even finished, and parts of it are getting old. The computers that crashed are in two Russian segments of the station, known as Zarya and Zvezda, that were launched in 1998 and 2000.
(Image of Pluto, plus the smaller Charon, Hydra and Nix, which orbit it, shot by the Hubble Telescope.)
June 14, 2007 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (7)
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Leave poor Pluto alone! Those scientists are obviously just ganging up on Pluto for some imagined offense, trying to reduce its status in our solar system. It's clear that this newly-discovered planet is simply an arriviste, trying to take advantage of our scientists' obvious confusion over Pluto's status. Isn't there some organization that can stop these attempts at humiliating Pluto?
And it's my understanding that the Russian computers on the International Space Station crashed because the scientists there were trying to upgrade their operating systems to Windows Vista.
Posted by: chuck | Jun 14, 2007 2:16:00 PM
Well this sux for Pluto, but I understand that our understanding of the way our universe works changes daily. So this change is somewhat welcomed in my eyes.
As for the ISS's computers. It just show's lack of foresight in the builders and planner's eyes. The computers should be upgraded either yearly, or every two years. Also, I once read something about NASA. Went basically likethis: During the first manned space missions, NASA discovered that pens wouldn't work. So after years of study, tests, and millions of dollars later, a pen was designed and built for use in space. The Russians discovered the same problem. They just started using pencils.
Posted by: Lawrence | Jun 14, 2007 6:23:04 PM
Posted by: Greg | Jun 14, 2007 8:33:57 PM
i think that the creation of the category of " Dwarf Planets " only makes sense if the IAU creates two extra categories: " Medium" planets ( or Rocky planets )like Earth,Mars and Mercury and " Giants " like Uranus and Jupiter ( or " Gas" Gaints ).Thus we would have the logical and scientificaly defined sizes: Dwarf,Medium and Giant planets.All with equal rank.
The same scientificaly based fysical distinctions could be used also for the classification of the many ( spherical )moons in our Solar System : Dwarfs like Miranda and Mimas ; Medium like our Moon ,Japetus,Triton or Rhea ; and Giants like Ganymede , Titan and Callisto.And other categories that could be added are non-spherical " captured meteoriods" ," shepard moons" or " moonlets ".I hope someone of the IAU reads this and brings it to their commitee.Thanks !
Posted by: Tiaan | Jun 15, 2007 4:20:47 AM
An Undefined term like :Universe- naturally lands one in Confusion and utter Chaos. Big-Bang under revision
Universe has a Function and not Chaos or Run-away planets.
Presently :SCIENCE AT CROSS ROADS
I sincerely request Learned members to search alternate modes of explanation.
Why not Visit SUN TEMPLE-KONARK ?
THROW Open when in doubt and Encourage
East West Interaction.
The origins: Cosmology Vedas
EARTH PLANET supports Life and Divine life through Cosmic Signatures
Cosmic Signatures- I mean shape and process through Planets .One will see more in-depth knowledge if one searches through Cosmos-Yoga Vision Development
series.
The Konark Temple obviously links SUN to
Orion Nebulae and Sun-Planetary Blue region is very short(15-20 Ft) in comparison with Two Temples one at 127 Ft and another 227 FT.
Utilise East-West Interaction to save Money and Time while many wonder about
up-coming alignments-2009 Solar Eclipse.
Minds need to be developed at a faster pace-beyond Bilogical frame set= to catch up with Cosmic Phenamena and Cosmic Conscious Spirit.
In the meantime, I appeal not to bombard Earth-planet to test advancement of Science or Life-sciences
Vidyardhi nanduri
Cosmology Vedas
Posted by: Vidyardhi Nanduri | Jun 15, 2007 7:26:13 AM
Science is a harsh mistress. We often learn things that give lie to cherished beliefs and puncture our balloonish egos. I, too, was saddened by Pluto's demotion, but science marches on. And on and on.
Posted by: Andy | Jun 15, 2007 10:34:14 AM
The history of the planets can include the timeline that Pluto reigned as a Planet. I can predict that it may be forgotten and stricken from the astrology books when students are learning about the Solar System, someday. I am astonished that the space station cannot take better photos than that. They should Google the planets. Thanks for reading. Steve
Posted by: Steve Medellin | Jul 3, 2007 1:40:42 AM
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