Comments on: Big Fat Whale has the scoop on Pluto http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/ 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. Thu, 24 May 2012 23:19:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Messier Tidy Upper http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-317451 Messier Tidy Upper Sun, 10 Oct 2010 13:06:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-317451 @ ^ Laurel Kornfeld : Well said. I agree. :-) I hope the IAU definition is corrected and the ice dwarf planets incl. Pluto are restored to their full planetary status in coming years. It is silly to say that a dwarf star is still a star but a dwarf planet isn't a planet. It is sillier to have a definition that Mercury is a planet but Pluto isn't just because of where their respective orbits take them. It is silliest of all to have a definition where even Jupiter would suddenly stop being a planet if it was relocated out in the Edgeworth-Kuiper cometary disk. Thus the silly, sillier and silliest IAU definition fails the <i>reductio ad absurdum</i> test of logic. Plus the IAUdefinition also fails Occams razor too by adding unneccessary complications and questions like what do we mean by "orbital clearance" anyhow, how far out must a planet clear, what about double planets, etc ... The ludicrous IAU decree needs to be changed and replaced with a better alternative. Period. @ ^ Laurel Kornfeld : Well said. I agree. :-)

I hope the IAU definition is corrected and the ice dwarf planets incl. Pluto are restored to their full planetary status in coming years.

It is silly to say that a dwarf star is still a star but a dwarf planet isn’t a planet.

It is sillier to have a definition that Mercury is a planet but Pluto isn’t just because of where their respective orbits take them.

It is silliest of all to have a definition where even Jupiter would suddenly stop being a planet if it was relocated out in the Edgeworth-Kuiper cometary disk.

Thus the silly, sillier and silliest IAU definition fails the reductio ad absurdum test of logic. Plus the IAUdefinition also fails Occams razor too by adding unneccessary complications and questions like what do we mean by “orbital clearance” anyhow, how far out must a planet clear, what about double planets, etc … The ludicrous IAU decree needs to be changed and replaced with a better alternative. Period.

]]> By: Laurel Kornfeld http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-316153 Laurel Kornfeld Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:41:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-316153 Mike Brown has NO power against Pluto except in his own head. This looks like a tabloid generated by him or by the four percent of the IAU who voted against Pluto, most of whom are not planetary scientists. Their decision was immediately opposed in a formal petition by hundreds of professional astronomers led by Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto. If eccentric orbits preclude objects from being planets, there go a good number of the huge exoplanets we've discovered, which many of which have orbits far more eccentric than that of Pluto. :) Mike Brown has NO power against Pluto except in his own head. This looks like a tabloid generated by him or by the four percent of the IAU who voted against Pluto, most of whom are not planetary scientists. Their decision was immediately opposed in a formal petition by hundreds of professional astronomers led by Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto. If eccentric orbits preclude objects from being planets, there go a good number of the huge exoplanets we’ve discovered, which many of which have orbits far more eccentric than that of Pluto. :)

]]> By: mike burkhart http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315723 mike burkhart Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:11:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315723 I did'nt know planets get drunk maybe this explains global warming the Earth is on a drinking binge and thats why it's warm whene it sobers up it will cool and we will have a series of disators on its hangover. After this we need to send the Earth to AA. I did’nt know planets get drunk maybe this explains global warming the Earth is on a drinking binge and thats why it’s warm whene it sobers up it will cool and we will have a series of disators on its hangover. After this we need to send the Earth to AA.

]]> By: Lewis http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315408 Lewis Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:44:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315408 The Higgs-Boson one made me chuckle pretty good. :) The Higgs-Boson one made me chuckle pretty good. :)

]]> By: Solius http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315340 Solius Wed, 06 Oct 2010 08:17:06 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315340 I think that "Poor Pluto" can't read. Otherwise, it would hope that more blogs would have a delete click option. I'll drink to that. And, to Pluto, party at my house! I'll be lookin' for ya. I think that “Poor Pluto” can’t read. Otherwise, it would hope that more blogs would have a delete click option.

I’ll drink to that.

And, to Pluto, party at my house! I’ll be lookin’ for ya.

]]> By: Stargazer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315320 Stargazer Wed, 06 Oct 2010 07:18:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315320 I think it was Helen Lovejoy, Reverend Timothy Lovejoy's wife? I think it was Helen Lovejoy, Reverend Timothy Lovejoy’s wife?

]]> By: Messier Tidy Upper http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315267 Messier Tidy Upper Wed, 06 Oct 2010 03:31:28 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315267 [Simpsons lady voice on] Won't somebody think of the moonlets?! [/Simpson's lady* voice off] ;-) Wonder if Venus would be the "page 3 girl" : Hot new pics of her volcanic plateaus, <b><u>Other headlines :</u></b> - Jealous Io's sulpherous eruptions, turn worldlet inside out with fiery fury! - Ice queen Triton blasts as well, cold and brittle but express surprising revelations of her inner life. - Happy Earth and Luna still living blissfully, comment "our relationship started with such a bang!" - Jupiter's secret love harem exposed, scandalous number of captured partners unable to escape the King's orbit! - Gorgeous Saturn shows off her stylish rings, fantastic in butterscotch gold costume complete with circlet of pearls and a huge Titan carnelian gem. ;-) --- * Was it Maude Flanders that used to say that as her catch-cry? [Simpsons lady voice on] Won’t somebody think of the moonlets?! [/Simpson's lady* voice off] ;-)

Wonder if Venus would be the “page 3 girl” : Hot new pics of her volcanic plateaus,

Other headlines :

- Jealous Io’s sulpherous eruptions, turn worldlet inside out with fiery fury!

- Ice queen Triton blasts as well, cold and brittle but express surprising revelations of her inner life.

- Happy Earth and Luna still living blissfully, comment “our relationship started with such a bang!”

- Jupiter’s secret love harem exposed, scandalous number of captured partners unable to escape the King’s orbit!

- Gorgeous Saturn shows off her stylish rings, fantastic in butterscotch gold costume complete with circlet of pearls and a huge Titan carnelian gem.

;-)

—
* Was it Maude Flanders that used to say that as her catch-cry?

]]> By: Messier Tidy Upper http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315255 Messier Tidy Upper Wed, 06 Oct 2010 03:07:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315255 Poor Pluto, hasn't it had enough grief yet ... No wonder its taken to drink! ;-) And what do poor little Hydra and Nyix think of this? <blockquote>"Will all great Neptune's oceans suffice to slake this dwarf planet's thirst? No, rather this poor spurned iceball will drink all multiple booze layers of the mighty water giant draining the Blue one, dry!"</blockquote> - with apologies to Shakespeare's <i>Macbeth</i>, Nice comics. LOL . :-) Poor Pluto, hasn’t it had enough grief yet … No wonder its taken to drink! ;-)

And what do poor little Hydra and Nyix think of this?

“Will all great Neptune’s oceans suffice to slake this dwarf planet’s thirst?
No, rather this poor spurned iceball will drink all multiple booze layers of the mighty water giant draining the Blue one, dry!”

- with apologies to Shakespeare’s Macbeth,

Nice comics. LOL . :-)

]]> By: Naked Bunny with a Whip http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315252 Naked Bunny with a Whip Wed, 06 Oct 2010 02:51:19 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315252 When working at home, NSFW = Not Safe From Wife? When working at home, NSFW = Not Safe From Wife?

]]> By: Tribeca Mike http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315162 Tribeca Mike Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:46:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315162 The Bonobos panel is hilarious. The Bonobos panel is hilarious.

]]> By: The Arquette Sisters http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315119 The Arquette Sisters Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:46:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315119 Some funny stuff, also some very low bearing comedic fruit. Get the feeling I have read 90% of these jokes elsewhere, but the repackaging is amusing enough. Some funny stuff, also some very low bearing comedic fruit. Get the feeling I have read 90% of these jokes elsewhere, but the repackaging is amusing enough.

]]> By: Rhacodactylus http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315080 Rhacodactylus Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:52:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315080 And not one joke about a fling with Neptune . . . ? <a href="http://untitledvanityproject.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">~Rhaco</a> And not one joke about a fling with Neptune . . . ?

~Rhaco

]]> By: Erk http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315071 Erk Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:32:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315071 Mr Plait, what about this? Time may end in 5 billion years, according to this publication. http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/1009/1009.4698v1.pdf Mr Plait, what about this? Time may end in 5 billion years, according to this publication.
http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/arxiv/pdf/1009/1009.4698v1.pdf

]]> By: Larian LeQuella http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/10/05/big-fat-whale-has-the-scoop-on-pluto/comment-page-1/#comment-315058 Larian LeQuella Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:02:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=21434#comment-315058 Oh, one more comic to add to my morning coffee list! Thank you. I can now spend at least an hour not getting anything accomplished thanks to you. :) Oh, one more comic to add to my morning coffee list! Thank you. I can now spend at least an hour not getting anything accomplished thanks to you. :)

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