Some NASA scientists are proposing a new definition of what a planet is to replace the definition adopted in 2006. That change resulted in Pluto being demoted to a dwarf planet. The definition was put forward by Caltech Astronomer Mike Brown.
According to the head researcher for the group proposing the new definition, planetary scientist Alan Stern, listening to an astronomer about planets is “bullshit.” I like this guy. Stern and his crew want to change the definition of a planet and eliminate the need for it to orbit a star.
The proposed definition reads: “A planet is a sub-stellar mass body that has never undergone nuclear fusion and that has sufficient self-gravitation to assume a spheroidal shape adequately described by a triaxial ellipsoid regardless of its orbital parameters.”
If that definition is adopted, we would get over 100 new planets in our solar system including our own moon and Pluto would once again be a planet. I like this idea, but I’m not sure other scientists would go for over 100 new planets.
[via ScienceAlert]
