OT: The solar system has 12 planets

Renegade 13 · #1 August 16th, 2006, 07:39 PM

Astronomy.com Link
Wikipedia Link
International Astronomical Union Link

According to the committee set up to determine what the definition of a planet is, we now have 12 planets...pending approval from the IAU (International Astronomical Union) on August 26. If it's approved, the asteroid Ceres, Pluto's moon Charon and the Kuiper Belt Object UB313 will all be considered planets, bringing the total to 12. There's also about a dozen others that would be candidates for planetary status.

Cool, eh?

Atrocities · #2 August 16th, 2006, 07:48 PM

They don't know what they are talking about. Its all a big conspiracy designed to scare us into believing that Earth is a uniqe planet and that we are all alone in the universe.

Slick · #3 August 16th, 2006, 09:18 PM

Yes, and there is another planet in Earth's precise orbit exactly on the opposite side of the sun at all times so it can't be seen unless you leave the planet.

Wade · #4 August 16th, 2006, 09:38 PM

Yes. In colaberation with the civilization on that planet we developed stealth, fiber optics, silicon chips, etc...Truly. I read it some where.

Yimboli · #5 August 16th, 2006, 11:07 PM

its probably on the internet somewhere....

Kamog · #6 August 17th, 2006, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Slick said:
Yes, and there is another planet in Earth's precise orbit exactly on the opposite side of the sun at all times so it can't be seen unless you leave the planet.

That's the counter-earth.

Renegade 13 · #7 August 17th, 2006, 01:31 AM

Does no one have anything non-nonsensical to say? I know, that didn't make a whole lot of sense...oh well.

cshank2 · #8 August 17th, 2006, 03:22 AM

UB13 should be renamed to something better. (Seriously, it sounds like something from the AvP universe.)

... Let's pitch some ideas.

Randallw · #9 August 17th, 2006, 05:13 AM

I assume you disagree with Xena rather than just UB313. I hope they choose something better otherwise in 1000 years a little girlboy asks her 4th clone father what does Xena mean.

geoschmo · #10 August 17th, 2006, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Randallw said:
I assume you disagree with Xena rather than just UB313. I hope they choose something better otherwise in 1000 years a little girlboy asks her 4th clone father what does Xena mean.

If that's the name they settle on, then most likely in 1000 years when she asks what Xena means the answer will be "It's a planet." Just like these days there aren't too many people that know the mythology behind the other planet names.