What is Digg?45 Comments
- jexdawg, on 10/12/2007, -7/+40I miss Pluto.
- jammink, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14Serious? There goes my dream of a square planet. :(
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+16The better part of the intro was always
Captain Planet, he's our hero,
Gonna take pollution down to zero. - kuribo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11I never saw the point of debating whether or not a [insert object] qualifies as a [insert man-made term]. There's no natural idea of "planet" that exists independently of humans. If people SAY that something is a planet, then it IS a planet. "Planet" only exists as a term for the purpose of classifying a certain kind of object. Make up a definition for the term, then stick to it. A planet can mean whatever people say it means.
- eridius, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10The International Astronomical Union defines "planet" as a celestial body that, within the Solar System,
(a) is in orbit around the Sun;
(b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape; and
(c) has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit;
or within another system,
(i) is in orbit around a star or stellar remnants;
(ii) has a mass below the limiting mass for thermonuclear fusion of deuterium; and
(iii) is above the minimum mass/size requirement for planetary status in the Solar System. - Enterprise8875, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8Thats a horrible definition. What is close to a sphere mean? And some planets dont have moons while some asteroids do. Having a moon has nothing to do with a planet being a planet.
- jammink, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7Actually, if you think back to that magic schoolbus episode, Pluto is largely comprised of ice. Therefore, it is the most badass planet in the solar system. Furthermore, Mercury is lava. Your opinion seems to hold little to no ground.
- scott1, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5No one will miss us for what we did to Pluto.
- eridius, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Well, one theory is that they're captured asteroids rather than bodies that formed in-system. That would certainly explain their eccentric orbit.
- CBTF, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3"I miss Pluto."
It's still there, you know. - chuckayoub, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The Planets: http://www.the-planets.com/
- greymaxcat, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6Planet: A thing you stand on.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Eridius: TIAU is pretty correct. I would agree with their definition.
Enterprise: No object in the universe is a PERFECT sphere. And I meant if the object fits the description above AND has a moon then you can be sure it's a planet. - sockpuppets, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3I agree. I say you are a huge nerd. :p
- jellomizer, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3No that definition will not rule out Pluto. Because Pluto is Round and has a moon (a rather large moon, so large they basically orbit each other).
The definition of a plant is...
1. A round orbital body.
2. It must have been able to clear out most of it orbit of other objects.
While Pluto is round its orbit is not cleared of other objects (most notably the fact that it co-orbits its moon) - glasgowm, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2A question I've always wondered, anyone care to answer
Why are the two 'dwarf planets' solar paths so vastly different from all the regular planets? Pluto & Eris paths seem erratic when compared to the other eight relatively uniform paths. Is this just coincidence or does it have something to do with the mass, etc..
an image is available here ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Eris_Orbit.svg - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Pluto was the only "planet" discovered by an american.
Americans are clearly the only ones who obsess about whether Pluto is called a planet or an ice dwarf.
Coincidence? Yeah, right.
I agree that the new definition of planet was watered down to meaninglessness, but it seems obvious that most of the opposition to demoting Pluto has murkier, nonscientific, motivation than that the new definition is sucky. - sockpuppets, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Actually I think a singularity would be a perfect sphere, no?
- klawz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1@ royall64 - are you in 4th grade still? Try doing some research before spewing off your own personal definition of what a planet is.
- CriX, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Reason trumps nostalgia.
- fenderjazz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0This new definition of a planet is completely absurd.
"It must have been able to clear out most of it orbit of other objects."
First off, even Earth has yet to do that. There are thousands of asteroids hovering around Earth. Jupiter hasn't cleared its orbit either. Ever heard of the Jovian Trojans?
And what will happen when our moon moves far enough away that its orbit focal point will actually lie outside of Earth (granted, it will take thousands, if not millions of years, but it will happen)?
I guess that just means we don't live on a planet. And Jupiter, our larges celestial body, isn't a planet either. - Mishka, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Pluto will always be a planet in my heart.
- pennyfan87, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3Can somebody explain to me why we fight so much about nomenclature? Call it whatever the ***** you want.
- radu79, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1Well, if you like this story, I think you will like the one I submited yesterday, about the winners of a NASA contest regarding the best potography of the recent Mercury transit around the sun. http://digg.com/space/Transity_of_Mercury_Photo_Contest_Winners_Impressive_Pictures
- Chairboy, on 10/12/2007, -7/+3Someone in the neighborhood I grew up in suggested that my mother is, but his motivations may be suspect.
- kokorhekkus, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2At this time I have to side with the people calling Pluto, Charon and newer objects KBO:s (Kuiper Belt Objects). Read more about KBOs at wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuiper_belt - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -8/+4A planet is any large object in space that is close to a sphere (unlike an asteroid which can be any shape) and orbits around a sun.
Also, if it has a moon, it's a planet. - KniteWulf, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1*****! All those tests in elementary school were for moot!
- pennyfan87, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1and because she's really big and round like a planet like thing of a kuniper belt object like thing.
- reevolutn, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4your moms a planet
- JesterRoyal, on 10/12/2007, -10/+4If your going to quote old school cartoons you should at least get the quote right :-/ everybody know it goes earth wind fire water heart. (and its "by your powers combined").
- riot5, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1Naw, they had it right, just take out the second 'Earth'. But, true, it is "by your powers combined".
- JesterRoyal, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1oops. i do believe i mixed the order. Earth Fire Wind Water Heart. Finger bobble :). or a brain bobble, what have you. you are correct, the second earth was my main comment.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2cuz her belt size is the equator
- reevolutn, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2whoa dude, you just blew my mind
- Derrekito, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3your mom?
- Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3Just give it up. Pluto is a boring ball of rock that isn't a planet. I'd eject Mercury from the definition of planet as well, but it at least has historical precedent for being called thus. You might as well call all the rocks in the asteroid belt planets. Is Ceres a planet?
- reevolutn, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2and cos she has her own gravitational pull
- fullmetalx89, on 10/12/2007, -7/+0But pluto has more than two moons and isnt considered a planet anymore.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -9/+1planet piss
murderface ftw - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -16/+5I don't. It got what it deserved. It was never a planet and does not deserve to be called one.
- ryodoan, on 10/12/2007, -16/+4Me to...
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -17/+5Earth,
Fire,
Wind,
Water,
Earth,
Heart!
With your powers combined,
I am Captain Planet!
Browsing Digg on your phone just got easier with our enhancements to the 
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is 