tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13722343.post115576581655766878..comments2023-10-29T14:44:07.458+00:00Comments on The Dossing Times: New research shows 12 planets in Solar SystemSimonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851386083389876851noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13722343.post-1155830790595404252006-08-17T17:06:00.000+01:002006-08-17T17:06:00.000+01:00Believe it or not, the current definition for what...Believe it or not, the current definition for what makes a planet is based on thermonuclear fusion in a star. This is thirteen jupiter masses - so anything above this mass is a star. This doesn't differentiate between planets and asteroids etc. It just gives an upper limit to how massive a planet can be.<BR/><BR/>There's a big push for formation mechanism to be the defining characteristic of planets (ie formed in a protoplanetary disk) but that still doesn't give a specification as to what's a planet, and what's a by-product of the disk. The IAU's definition in question is based on shape, more than size. It's proposing to define planets by their near-circular shape.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13722343.post-1155819624785987102006-08-17T14:00:00.000+01:002006-08-17T14:00:00.000+01:00Fricking lies I tell ya lies. There are 8 planets....Fricking lies I tell ya lies. There are 8 planets. There others are wannabe planets. But it does pose an interesting question what is a planet what defining caracteristic does it have. This whole thing of size is a bit random. You could try atmosphere. But some moons have atmosperes yet Mercury does not due to proximity to the sun.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com