[extropy-chat] SPACE: How many planets?

[Brent Neal]

 (3/22/04 5:12) Robert J. Bradbury <bradbury at aeiveos.com> wrote:

>Space Daily has an interesting article this morning on how
>to settle the is it or isn't it a planet debate (I'll spoil
>the article to some extent by providing a summary -- if it
>has enough gravity to round itself but not enough to start
>nuclear fusion its a planet).
>
>But its a really interesting article in with respect to
>both the physics and how one deals with young children
>who may have different opinions:


This is new take on the debate I read. I think he leaves out some interesting physical criteria that could be used in combination with others, but the "roundness" one that he mentions is one I'd not seen before. Of course, when it comes down to it, the final solution will be 'political' in some sense, since the IAU will pick the rules to create the outcome they find desirable. :)

B
-- 
Brent Neal
Geek of all Trades
http://brentn.freeshell.org

"Specialization is for insects" -- Robert A. Heinlein