I kinda like the proposed "dwarf planet" classification. Appeals to the sentimentalists/romanticists, schoolkids, and scientists alike, assuming it doesn't offend any dwarfs out there (is that a PC term? Vertically challenged? I honestly don't know!). The only challenge here is that you have to ditch the stuffy scientific names for something a little easier to remember, like Xena and Gabrielle. On the other hand, haven't we already been calling asteroids "minor planets" for years anyway? Maybe this is all just scientific "sleight of hand" to appease the masses...? ;o) --- Michael Carnes <michaelcarnes@earthlink.net> wrote:

...

Have you all seen this?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5631291&ft=1&f=1003

...

So Pluto, Sedna, Xena, and Quaooriariooaahooee will now be "Asteroids that we'll still call planets so we don't tick off the schoolchildren"? ;-)

It would be fun to take a straw poll at the next SLAS meeting. I think Pluto is popular among amateurs because Clyde Tombaugh was basically an amateur as well, even if an extremely dedicated one.

_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com

http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy

Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com

__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com