Pro@programming.dev to Lemmy Be Wholesome@lemmy.worldEnglish · 2 months agoBe like Pluto.programming.devimagemessage-square87fedilinkarrow-up1948arrow-down124
arrow-up1924arrow-down1imageBe like Pluto.programming.devPro@programming.dev to Lemmy Be Wholesome@lemmy.worldEnglish · 2 months agomessage-square87fedilink
minus-squaretal@lemmy.todaylinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up1arrow-down2·2 months ago The problem with recognizing Pluto is that Eris, Haumea, Makemake, Gonggong, Quaoar, Sedna, Ceres, Orcus, and perhaps also Salacia also should probably be included If one uses diameter as the cutoff, then Pluto is larger than all of those.
minus-squarezqps@sh.itjust.workslinkfedilinkarrow-up7·2 months agoOk so we’re adding new arbitrary qualifications to hold onto the simplified image of the solar system that we learned growing up.
minus-squareEnkrod@feddit.orglinkfedilinkarrow-up7arrow-down1·2 months agoNah, the cutoff is “is it mostly spherical due to its own gravity?” and “has it cleared its orbit from other bodies?” Pluto is massive enough to be spherical but did not clear its orbit from other bodies. Now its the head of its own family, the dwarf-planets.
minus-squareegrets@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up3·2 months agoIndeed, but Eris is only marginally smaller and a fair bit more massive, and the latter is generally more important in categorization.
If one uses diameter as the cutoff, then Pluto is larger than all of those.
Ok so we’re adding new arbitrary qualifications to hold onto the simplified image of the solar system that we learned growing up.
Nah, the cutoff is “is it mostly spherical due to its own gravity?” and “has it cleared its orbit from other bodies?”
Pluto is massive enough to be spherical but did not clear its orbit from other bodies. Now its the head of its own family, the dwarf-planets.
Indeed, but Eris is only marginally smaller and a fair bit more massive, and the latter is generally more important in categorization.