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Kerrie
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I have always had a fascination of Pluto, is it labeled as a lost satellite of Neptune, or a planet on it's own because of Charon?
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Originally posted by (Q)
Rule #1, a planet must orbit the Sun. Rule #2, it must be large enough that it's own gravity is strong enough to maintain a spherical shape. If we were to go with these rules, there would exist about 12 planets in the Solar System. However, I don’t think Rule #2 is an accepted rule.
Originally posted by (Q)
Rutwig
Ceres and two other Kuiper Belt objects of which the names escape me.
Originally posted by Zefram
Simply because Pluto is larger, though some refer to that system as a double planet (I may be incorrect but I don't think the center of mass of that system even lies within Pluto).
i wonder if this is how charon looks from pluto...it would seem to me that if charon is nearly as big as pluto, it would be a spectacular site in the sky (that is if you were standing on pluto)
I saw a programme that staed that the moon used to be much closer to the Earth and took up about a quater of the sky.
I think the definition of a planet should be based on its mass,. and not on it's relative size, shape or radius.
Originally posted by LURCH
I believe in it is spelled "Quaor", or something close to that.
At any rate, if Pluto is disqualified as a planet, it will not be classified as an "escaped moon of Neptune", but rather a Kuiper Belt object that has been pulled into a "lock step" orbit with Neptune.
Kerrie asked:
is there any evidence that pluto/charon was once a satellite system of neptune?
Kerrie asked:
I have always had a fascination of Pluto, is it labeled as a lost satellite of Neptune, or a planet on it's own because of Charon?
Originally posted by J-Man
As (Q) said, the IAU designation is planet; the debate was put to rest decades ago, though it often crops up on boards like this.
Pluto is currently classified as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), meaning it does not meet the criteria to be considered a full planet.
In 2006, the IAU established new criteria for what qualifies as a planet. Based on these criteria, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet because it did not meet the third criterion, which states that a planet must have "cleared the neighborhood around its orbit."
Yes, Pluto was considered the ninth planet in our solar system for over 75 years, from its discovery in 1930 until its reclassification in 2006.
Some scientists and members of the public argue that Pluto should still be considered a planet, as it has unique characteristics and holds historical significance. Others believe that the IAU's criteria for planets should be followed strictly and that Pluto does not meet all the requirements.
No, there is no evidence to suggest that Pluto was ever a satellite of Neptune. While some theories propose that Pluto may have formed in a similar way to Neptune's other moons, there is no concrete evidence to support this claim.