Scientists protest the new definition of planet


More than 300 planetary scientists and astronomers signed a petition stating that they do not agree with the International Astronomical Union's new definition of "planet" and that they will not use it.

According to New Scientist, Alan Stern, head of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto, says the new definition excludes not just Pluto, but also Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Neptune. "That is because the definition stipulates that to be a planet, an object must have cleared the neighborhood around its orbit. But Earth's orbital neighborhood is filled with thousands of near-Earth asteroids, Stern says. And Mars, Jupiter and Neptune have so-called 'Trojan' asteroids sharing their orbits."

There is also a petition, calling on the IAU to reverse its decision, for the general public to sign at the Please Save Pluto website.

Posted: Saturday - September 02, 2006 at 02:19 AM          

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