Is Pluto a Planet? My Personal Opinion
Sept 16, 2019 4:16:27 GMT -5
Post by Radrook Admin on Sept 16, 2019 4:16:27 GMT -5
Is Pluto a Planet?
So Pluto is now no longer a member of the main group of planets? For many of us who were taught that Pluto was the ninth planet in our solar system, it was indeed the ninth and farthest planet. We considered that an indisputable fact because it was taught as such in our schools. If indeed we dared to challenge it-we would have been considered crazy or just plain stupid. So Pluto not being a planet or suddenly being declassified as a planet, never crossed our minds.
But like many other things which scientists declare to be indisputably true, Pluto's position as a planet of our solar system was suddenly discarded. Why? Well, primarily because objects of its same size, and a bit larger, were discovered farther out in what is called the Kuiper Belt, an area described as containing what is called the leftovers from solar system formation.
So the choice was to either expand the number of planets or to place these smaller objects into a different classification. Those in charge of such things decided to do the latter by first claiming that they were not planets and then, to assuage the outcries of protests, calling them dwarf planets.
But like many other things which scientists declare to be indisputably true, Pluto's position as a planet of our solar system was suddenly discarded. Why? Well, primarily because objects of its same size, and a bit larger, were discovered farther out in what is called the Kuiper Belt, an area described as containing what is called the leftovers from solar system formation.
So the choice was to either expand the number of planets or to place these smaller objects into a different classification. Those in charge of such things decided to do the latter by first claiming that they were not planets and then, to assuage the outcries of protests, calling them dwarf planets.
Five Dwarf Planets
www.britannica.com/list/our-5-dwarf-planets
www.britannica.com/list/our-5-dwarf-planets
In that way we now came to have eight legitimate full-fledged main planets, and a small group of dwarf planets which include Ceres, once considered a mere asteroid.
Never mind that Pluto has five moons:
An atmosphere,
It also has mountains, valleys, cryogenic volcanoes, and a far more interesting surface than the dreary boring so called planet Mercury does. Yet, now we are expected to view it as Mercury's inferior? Even though Mercury has no moons, no atmosphere, and its monotonously cratered, surface is almost identical to our moon, and unlike Pluto, is geologically dead.
So like many others, I disagree with the criteria being used to disqualify Pluto as a planet, and still consider Pluto as such.
Never mind that Pluto has five moons:
The dwarf planet Pluto has five natural satellites. In order of distance from Pluto, they are Charon, Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra. Charon, the largest, is mutually tidally locked with Pluto, and is massive enough that Pluto–Charon is sometimes considered a double dwarf planet.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Pluto
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Pluto
An atmosphere,
The atmosphere of Pluto consists mainly of nitrogen (N2), with minor amounts of methane (CH4) and carbon monoxide (CO), all of which are vaporized from their ices on Pluto's surface. It contains layered haze, probably consisting of heavier compounds which form from these gases due to high-energy radiation. The atmosphere of Pluto is notable for its strong and not completely understood seasonal changes caused by peculiarities of the orbital and axial rotation of Pluto.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Pluto
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Pluto
Has a geologically active subsurface, with volcanic activity and and underground ocean.
It also has mountains, valleys, cryogenic volcanoes, and a far more interesting surface than the dreary boring so called planet Mercury does. Yet, now we are expected to view it as Mercury's inferior? Even though Mercury has no moons, no atmosphere, and its monotonously cratered, surface is almost identical to our moon, and unlike Pluto, is geologically dead.
So like many others, I disagree with the criteria being used to disqualify Pluto as a planet, and still consider Pluto as such.