Comments on: On the naming of Eris, and such http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:58:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Beyonce http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20683 Beyonce Thu, 18 Jan 2007 16:40:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20683 Eris also features in Robert Anton Wilson's amazing "The Illuminatus! Trilogy". B x Eris also features in Robert Anton Wilson’s amazing “The Illuminatus! Trilogy”.

B
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]]> By: Mungascr http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20663 Mungascr Fri, 22 Sep 2006 15:04:46 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20663 Skeptic girl : As you should be able to see Your test worked for me. Its only one cryptic line of text Makes me wonder just what's next So post away I plea! If I recollect my Greek mythology right then Eris was the goddess of Strife. It was she that offered the prize of a golden apple inscribed "to the most beautiful" in a contest with the godesses Hera, Aphrodite and Athena and got Prince Paris of Troy to judge betwixt 'em. Hera offered Paris money.. Athena offered Paris success in war. Aphrodite offered him the hand of the most beautiful woman in the world - Helen of Sparta who was already married to King Menelaus. Paris chose Aphrodite - who guaranteed he could seduce Helen. He did so - Menelaus understandably enough got cheesed off and, with his brother King Agamemnnon, organised the Archean (ie. Greek) fleet to attack Troy and get Helen back "launching a thousand ships" and causing the Trojan war. Apt name given "Xena's" role in sparking astronomical debate over Pluto ... But I bet the name "Xena" will take a long time to disappear from popular culture references to it. If indeed it ever does ... Reckon its gained enough "cultural mass" to hang on over the more academic, less memorable one. Eris = the Greek equivalent of Loki ... anyone know has thatname been taken by any minor planet yet? Skeptic girl :

As you should be able to see
Your test worked for me.
Its only one cryptic line of text
Makes me wonder just what’s next
So post away I plea!

If I recollect my Greek mythology right then Eris was the goddess of Strife. It was she that offered the prize of a golden apple inscribed “to the most beautiful” in a contest with the godesses Hera, Aphrodite and Athena and got Prince Paris of Troy to judge betwixt ‘em.

Hera offered Paris money..
Athena offered Paris success in war.
Aphrodite offered him the hand of the most beautiful woman in the world – Helen of Sparta who was already married to King Menelaus.

Paris chose Aphrodite – who guaranteed he could seduce Helen. He did so – Menelaus understandably enough got cheesed off and, with his brother King Agamemnnon, organised the Archean (ie. Greek) fleet to attack Troy and get Helen back “launching a thousand ships” and causing the Trojan war.

Apt name given “Xena’s” role in sparking astronomical debate over Pluto …

But I bet the name “Xena” will take a long time to disappear from popular culture references to it. If indeed it ever does … Reckon its gained enough “cultural mass” to hang on over the more academic, less memorable one.

Eris = the Greek equivalent of Loki … anyone know has thatname been taken by any minor planet yet?

]]> By: skeptigirl http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20659 skeptigirl Thu, 21 Sep 2006 08:52:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20659 test post test post

]]> By: Pierce R. Butler http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20658 Pierce R. Butler Thu, 21 Sep 2006 01:08:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20658 Having followed the above link to CalTech's 2003 EL61 page, I'm still confused. The image shown is described as an (American-type) football shape, though to me it more resembles an elongated gelatin capsule. It spins around one of its short axes (which does bring to mind a kicked football). Brown et al hypothesize an oblique collision with another large Kuiper Belt object early in EL61's history, sending its icy material into orbit and leaving the rocky material spinning rapidly: "The rapid spin elongated 2003 EL61 into the football shape we see today." All well & good, but why didn't it form a disk shape if it were being re-formed by centrifugal force? Did the tensile structural components give way only in one dimension? Having followed the above link to CalTech’s 2003 EL61 page, I’m still confused. The image shown is described as an (American-type) football shape, though to me it more resembles an elongated gelatin capsule. It spins around one of its short axes (which does bring to mind a kicked football).

Brown et al hypothesize an oblique collision with another large Kuiper Belt object early in EL61′s history, sending its icy material into orbit and leaving the rocky material spinning rapidly: “The rapid spin elongated 2003 EL61 into the football shape we see today.”

All well & good, but why didn’t it form a disk shape if it were being re-formed by centrifugal force? Did the tensile structural components give way only in one dimension?

]]> By: Thomas Love http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20657 Thomas Love Tue, 19 Sep 2006 16:56:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20657 Renaming the planet was a clear case of Xenophobia. Renaming the planet was a clear case of Xenophobia.

]]> By: Irishman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20660 Irishman Mon, 18 Sep 2006 20:54:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20660 Andjam, I haven't found that precise quote. However, <blockquote>We used the names [Xena and Gabrielle] for almost two years now and are having a hard time swtiching. But for those who miss Xena, look for the obvious nod in the new name of the moon of Eris. </blockquote> http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/planetlila/index.html#eris and <blockquote>The satellite of Eris has received the offical name Dysnomia, who in Greek mythology is Eris' daughter and the demon spirit of lawlessness.</blockquote> He certainly has expressed that sentiment. Andjam, I haven’t found that precise quote. However,

We used the names [Xena and Gabrielle] for almost two years now and are having a hard time swtiching. But for those who miss Xena, look for the obvious nod in the new name of the moon of Eris.

http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/planetlila/index.html#eris

and

The satellite of Eris has received the offical name Dysnomia, who in Greek mythology is Eris’ daughter and the demon spirit of lawlessness.

He certainly has expressed that sentiment.

]]> By: Troy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20678 Troy Sun, 17 Sep 2006 06:10:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20678 In regards to Pierre LaBossiere's comment the problem with setting Pluto as the lower size, "grandfathering" it in is that there will soon be a plethora of like and larger bodies found. I actually predicted that a hyperPluto would be discovered a few years ago and it would result in Pluto's demotion. My logic: Many similar (though smaller) Pluto sized objects were being discovered. Pluto was discovered near perihelion in a 250 year orbit, only approximately 25% of its orbit has elapsed: therefore it is completely possible that a hyperPluto was out there at aphelion and would eventually pull into view. Actually I didn't anticipate Mike Brown's discovery of an object much further out. Hopefully Pierre LaBossiere's and people who want a vulgar concensus to promote Pluto will instead learn and enjoy the dwarf planets. Pluto is a very interesting system, its moon may be the only similar scenerio to our own moon's formation. Besides Mars, Ceres is actually the best place to put set up a terrestrial colony, and this newly named Eris will likely suprise and delight when more is known. In regards to Pierre LaBossiere’s comment the problem with setting Pluto as the lower size, “grandfathering” it in is that there will soon be a plethora of like and larger bodies found. I actually predicted that a hyperPluto would be discovered a few years ago and it would result in Pluto’s demotion. My logic: Many similar (though smaller) Pluto sized objects were being discovered. Pluto was discovered near perihelion in a 250 year orbit, only approximately 25% of its orbit has elapsed: therefore it is completely possible that a hyperPluto was out there at aphelion and would eventually pull into view. Actually I didn’t anticipate Mike Brown’s discovery of an object much further out.
Hopefully Pierre LaBossiere’s and people who want a vulgar concensus to promote Pluto will instead learn and enjoy the dwarf planets. Pluto is a very interesting system, its moon may be the only similar scenerio to our own moon’s formation. Besides Mars, Ceres is actually the best place to put set up a terrestrial colony, and this newly named Eris will likely suprise and delight when more is known.

]]> By: Andjam http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20679 Andjam Sun, 17 Sep 2006 01:15:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20679 A <a href="http://planetary.org/news/2006/0914_Eris_Goddess_of_Strife_Joins_Solar.html" rel="nofollow">quote</a> has been attributed to Brown, saying that "we wanted her fans to know that the spirit of Lucy Lawless is still out there", but I can't get any google hits elsewhere for that quote. Is it likely to be for real? A quote has been attributed to Brown, saying that “we wanted her fans to know that the spirit of Lucy Lawless is still out there”, but I can’t get any google hits elsewhere for that quote. Is it likely to be for real?

]]> By: david http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20680 david Sat, 16 Sep 2006 22:18:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20680 i just happy to see the name xena gone. i just happy to see the name xena gone.

]]> By: Pierce R. Butler http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20682 Pierce R. Butler Fri, 15 Sep 2006 16:23:29 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20682 I had thought that the idea behind Hal Clement's <i>Mission of Gravity</i> had been shot down on the basis that any (ahem) planet spinning so fast as to make it into a discoid would experience centrifugal forces exceeding the tensile strength of a rocky crust, and therefore tear itself apart. In any case, how could EL61 acquire such rotational speed? It's hard to imagine it occurring by accretion, and even harder to work out how a passing or impacting planetoid could impart such spin without hurling it out of the solar system, or at least into a cometary-type orbit. The mere physics of all this is secondary, of course. What counts is ensuring that EL61 is officially named Mesklin, to assert the power of the International Hippie Psychedelics Conspiracy (tm)! I had thought that the idea behind Hal Clement’s Mission of Gravity had been shot down on the basis that any (ahem) planet spinning so fast as to make it into a discoid would experience centrifugal forces exceeding the tensile strength of a rocky crust, and therefore tear itself apart.

In any case, how could EL61 acquire such rotational speed? It’s hard to imagine it occurring by accretion, and even harder to work out how a passing or impacting planetoid could impart such spin without hurling it out of the solar system, or at least into a cometary-type orbit.

The mere physics of all this is secondary, of course. What counts is ensuring that EL61 is officially named Mesklin, to assert the power of the International Hippie Psychedelics Conspiracy ™!

]]> By: baric http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20681 baric Fri, 15 Sep 2006 16:21:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20681 "I would like to have the ecliptic part of the definition. It would probably illiminate many of the Kuiper Belt objects and give us a nice small number." Quaoar is the only known large object in the Kuiper Belt that has both a circular orbit is in within a few degrees of the ecliptic. That arguably makes it the most distant object in the solar system that was not eventually ejected from its original circular orbit formed during the development of our planetary system. If people insist on having 9 planets, there's your best candidate “I would like to have the ecliptic part of the definition. It would probably illiminate many of the Kuiper Belt objects and give us a nice small number.”

Quaoar is the only known large object in the Kuiper Belt that has both a circular orbit is in within a few degrees of the ecliptic. That arguably makes it the most distant object in the solar system that was not eventually ejected from its original circular orbit formed during the development of our planetary system.

If people insist on having 9 planets, there’s your best candidate

]]> By: Greg Fuchs http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20661 Greg Fuchs Fri, 15 Sep 2006 15:26:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20661 There was an article about Mike Brown in a recent(?) issue of the New Yorker magazine. Very interesting. An internet or library search should turn it up quite easily. Or ask a liberal friend. Greg There was an article about Mike Brown in a recent(?) issue of the New Yorker magazine. Very interesting.

An internet or library search should turn it up quite easily. Or ask a liberal friend.

Greg

]]> By: Lorne Ipsum http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20662 Lorne Ipsum Fri, 15 Sep 2006 15:15:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20662 FWIW, I'm more-or-less with gopher65 here. If I'd been king of the IAU, I would have kept the original proposal (orbit the sun, in hydrostatic equilibrium, etc.), but added planetary classes (as we currently do with stars, supernovae, and such). So.... Gas giants would be class 1a planets Terrestrial planets would be class 1b planets Icy planets would be class 2 planets This would have been the best of both worlds -- folks that like Pluto could have kept calling it a "planet," while folks that dislike it could revel in the fact that it (and a few dozen / hundred of its buddies) were "second class planets." Oh, well... FWIW, I’m more-or-less with gopher65 here. If I’d been king of the IAU, I would have kept the original proposal (orbit the sun, in hydrostatic equilibrium, etc.), but added planetary classes (as we currently do with stars, supernovae, and such).

So….

Gas giants would be class 1a planets
Terrestrial planets would be class 1b planets
Icy planets would be class 2 planets

This would have been the best of both worlds — folks that like Pluto could have kept calling it a “planet,” while folks that dislike it could revel in the fact that it (and a few dozen / hundred of its buddies) were “second class planets.”

Oh, well…

]]> By: DouglasG http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20665 DouglasG Fri, 15 Sep 2006 14:07:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20665 The only problem I have with Pluto being a planet is that it does not share the same ecliptic that the rest of the planets have. I would like to have the ecliptic part of the definition. It would probably illiminate many of the Kuiper Belt objects and give us a nice small number. If we want 9, then we rename Ceres to Pluto, and rename Pluto to Ceres. Same number, same names, different order... The only problem I have with Pluto being a planet is that it does not share the same ecliptic that the rest of the planets have. I would like to have the ecliptic part of the definition. It would probably illiminate many of the Kuiper Belt objects and give us a nice small number. If we want 9, then we rename Ceres to Pluto, and rename Pluto to Ceres. Same number, same names, different order…

]]> By: exarch http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20664 exarch Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:49:14 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20664 So people are suggetsting we keep calling Pluto a planet "<i>because the public says so</i>" and "<i>because we've always called it that</i>". If we relied on public opinion and habit in scientific matters, we'd still be working on ever more complex models of geocentrism ... Besides, Pluto has only been a planet for barely half a year. It was still in its probation period ;) So people are suggetsting we keep calling Pluto a planet “because the public says so” and “because we’ve always called it that“.

If we relied on public opinion and habit in scientific matters, we’d still be working on ever more complex models of geocentrism …

Besides, Pluto has only been a planet for barely half a year. It was still in its probation period ;)

]]> By: gopher65 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20666 gopher65 Fri, 15 Sep 2006 12:29:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20666 Personally I wish they had taken the origionally proposed definition of a planet (that it had to be round, etc) and used that, but with one cavet. They should have placed the 9 planets in a seperate classification called "the 9 classical planets". I think that would have appeased almost everyone. We would have had a definition that made sense (albiet a bit of a soft definition, but it could have been adjusted a bit), and the whole issue of "either we get rid of pluto or we have a boat load of new planets" wouldn't have arose. Personally I wish they had taken the origionally proposed definition of a planet (that it had to be round, etc) and used that, but with one cavet. They should have placed the 9 planets in a seperate classification called “the 9 classical planets”. I think that would have appeased almost everyone. We would have had a definition that made sense (albiet a bit of a soft definition, but it could have been adjusted a bit), and the whole issue of “either we get rid of pluto or we have a boat load of new planets” wouldn’t have arose.

]]> By: A Ler…-- Rastos de Luz http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20667 A Ler…-- Rastos de Luz Fri, 15 Sep 2006 08:59:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20667 [...] “Xena renamed to Eris“. Ainda a nova designação para este asteróide, no Universe Today. Também sobre este assunto, “On the naming of Eris and such“, no Bad Astronomy, “Eris and Dysnomia“, que refere também a nova denominação da lua de Eris, no Astronomy Blog, “Dwarf Planet Names: Eris and Dysnomia” no SCSU Astronomy [...] [...] “Xena renamed to Eris“. Ainda a nova designação para este asteróide, no Universe Today. Também sobre este assunto, “On the naming of Eris and such“, no Bad Astronomy, “Eris and Dysnomia“, que refere também a nova denominação da lua de Eris, no Astronomy Blog, “Dwarf Planet Names: Eris and Dysnomia” no SCSU Astronomy [...]

]]> By: Shawn S. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20668 Shawn S. Fri, 15 Sep 2006 08:58:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20668 Pluto is Pluto. It doesn't really matter whether the public call it a planet or not. It just helps with classification (which we scientists really like to do... helps with communication). Schools should now teach the new classification, and a discussion of classification in science would be interesting for students (hopefully). Anyway, I've always had a thing for Pluto as well and the new classification doesn't change how I feel about the peculiar piece of frozen real estate. :) Talking with the public (I'm a microbiologist, so I'm a lay person when it comes to astronomy and public includes me in this case) about the decision is a good thing. Explaining what the new classification means and why the deicision was reached should help. Expect a lot of Discovery channel shows about it! Pluto is Pluto. It doesn’t really matter whether the public call it a planet or not. It just helps with classification (which we scientists really like to do… helps with communication). Schools should now teach the new classification, and a discussion of classification in science would be interesting for students (hopefully). Anyway, I’ve always had a thing for Pluto as well and the new classification doesn’t change how I feel about the peculiar piece of frozen real estate. :)

Talking with the public (I’m a microbiologist, so I’m a lay person when it comes to astronomy and public includes me in this case) about the decision is a good thing. Explaining what the new classification means and why the deicision was reached should help. Expect a lot of Discovery channel shows about it!

]]> By: Stuart http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20669 Stuart Fri, 15 Sep 2006 08:57:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20669 IIRC, the problem with setting Pluto as a lower limit for planets, is the strong suspicion that there could be hundreds of Pluto-plus-sized Kuiper-belt objects as-yet undiscovered. So in time, by using that definition, we'd end up having hundreds of "planets" in our solar system. This contradicts the "intuitive" notion that planets are a "major" component of solar systems, not something that's "common" and "plentiful". Note the number of vague, fuzzy, unempirical words in that last sentence. Phil has pretty-much convinced me that his position makes the most sense - That pigeon-holing astronomical bodies into sharply-defined categories is foolish and counter-productive. IIRC, the problem with setting Pluto as a lower limit for planets, is the strong suspicion that there could be hundreds of Pluto-plus-sized Kuiper-belt objects as-yet undiscovered. So in time, by using that definition, we’d end up having hundreds of “planets” in our solar system. This contradicts the “intuitive” notion that planets are a “major” component of solar systems, not something that’s “common” and “plentiful”.

Note the number of vague, fuzzy, unempirical words in that last sentence.

Phil has pretty-much convinced me that his position makes the most sense – That pigeon-holing astronomical bodies into sharply-defined categories is foolish and counter-productive.

]]> By: Pierre LaBossiere http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20670 Pierre LaBossiere Fri, 15 Sep 2006 06:41:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20670 Phil, I had a question. Please, don't anyone jump me. I'm not a scientist. I just read Discover. You know and I know Pluto isn't really a planet, it doesn't act like a planet, it doesn't follow the rules of a planet, etc., etc. But, having said that, I just kept wondering if the astronomers in Prague could have done this.... ... Said, "OK, technically, we *know* Pluto isn't really a planet. But, since there seems to be so much public sentiment for keeping it a planet, and since it has been a planet for 75-plus years, and thus has become a deeply entrenched part of public culture, maybe we can continue calling it a planet ..." ... and say that any *new* planets would have to minimum as big as Pluto or bigger. Pluto would get to remain a planet, the smallest planet of all time, and -- so far -- the only new planet would be Eris." You wouldn't end up with a ridiculous 53 planets (Ceres and Charon as planets...?) or whatever. We'd have one new member to the family, Eris, and you wouldn't have hordes of people upset over Pluto. Could a proposition like that have worked ... or is that simply too whack and too unscientific? It's just that I feel kind of bad about losing poor Pluto. It can't help being so weird. Phil, I had a question.
Please, don’t anyone jump me. I’m not a scientist. I just read Discover.
You know and I know Pluto isn’t really a planet, it doesn’t act like a planet, it doesn’t follow the rules of a planet, etc., etc.
But, having said that, I just kept wondering if the astronomers in Prague could have done this….
… Said, “OK, technically, we *know* Pluto isn’t really a planet. But, since there seems to be so much public sentiment for keeping it a planet, and since it has been a planet for 75-plus years, and thus has become a deeply entrenched part of public culture, maybe we can continue calling it a planet …”
… and say that any *new* planets would have to minimum as big as Pluto or bigger. Pluto would get to remain a planet, the smallest planet of all time, and — so far — the only new planet would be Eris.”
You wouldn’t end up with a ridiculous 53 planets (Ceres and Charon as planets…?) or whatever. We’d have one new member to the family, Eris, and you wouldn’t have hordes of people upset over Pluto.
Could a proposition like that have worked … or is that simply too whack and too unscientific?
It’s just that I feel kind of bad about losing poor Pluto. It can’t help being so weird.

]]> By: Demote Pluto http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20671 Demote Pluto Fri, 15 Sep 2006 05:37:19 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20671 I'm a big admirer of Mike Brown for his selfless approach to planetary classification, seeing that he could be known as "the guy who discovered all those new planets" but goes along with the position that leaves him as "the guy who discovered all those new *dwarf* planets." If I ever make a Crack Team of Action Astronomers out of supporters of DemotePluto.com, I'm going to call them the Brown Dwarfs. I’m a big admirer of Mike Brown for his selfless approach to planetary classification, seeing that he could be known as “the guy who discovered all those new planets” but goes along with the position that leaves him as “the guy who discovered all those new *dwarf* planets.” If I ever make a Crack Team of Action Astronomers out of supporters of DemotePluto.com, I’m going to call them the Brown Dwarfs.

]]> By: The Bad Astronomer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20672 The Bad Astronomer Fri, 15 Sep 2006 05:18:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20672 Mtyler8-- I mentioned "Mission of Gravity" to Mike Brown! He hadn't read it. I told him that EL61 should be named "Mesklin". :) Mtyler8– I mentioned “Mission of Gravity” to Mike Brown! He hadn’t read it. I told him that EL61 should be named “Mesklin”. :)

]]> By: MTyler8 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20675 MTyler8 Fri, 15 Sep 2006 05:14:46 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20675 The description of 2003 EL61 reminds me of the classic scifi book "Heavy Planet" by Hal Clement. Mr. Clement worked out the gravity variences and spin rate for an entire planet shaped like EL61. He then populated it with some interesting inhabitants and came up with a reason for humans to visit. The description of 2003 EL61 reminds me of the classic scifi book “Heavy Planet” by Hal Clement. Mr. Clement worked out the gravity variences and spin rate for an entire planet shaped like EL61. He then populated it with some interesting inhabitants and came up with a reason for humans to visit.

]]> By: Dan Gerhards http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20674 Dan Gerhards Fri, 15 Sep 2006 05:12:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20674 I've never been clear about EL61. How can spinning fast make it elongated like a pickle? Shouldn't it be shaped more like an M&M? I’ve never been clear about EL61. How can spinning fast make it elongated like a pickle? Shouldn’t it be shaped more like an M&M?

]]> By: Bored Huge Krill http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-20673 Bored Huge Krill Fri, 15 Sep 2006 05:09:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/09/14/on-the-naming-of-eris-and-such/#comment-20673 "...the gravity is balanced by the centrifugal force." in the frame of reference of somebody standing on the surface, naturally. [runs and hides] “…the gravity is balanced by the centrifugal force.”

in the frame of reference of somebody standing on the surface, naturally.

[runs and hides]

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