How many planets are in the Solar System?

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
73,000
34,214
136
Damn new astronomy. :mad:

Got kicked out by a bot detector for giving wrong answer. Poor Pluto. :'(

There is something profoundly and deeply wrong with being declared non-human by an algorithm.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,355
14,763
146
Fuck that "planetlet" dwarf planet bullshit. Pluto has been a planet for most of my life...AFAIC, it's still a planet...just a small one.
 

Danwar

Senior member
May 30, 2008
240
1
71
yeah a small planet which is actually smaller than our moon and over half of its mass its ice so that if it were closer to the sun it will melt away and create a tail

doesnt sound like a planet to me
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
73,000
34,214
136
yeah a small planet which is actually smaller than our moon and over half of its mass its ice so that if it were closer to the sun it will melt away and create a tail

doesnt sound like a planet to me

Our moon is pretty big and Jupiter is a ball of gas. I don't see the issue.
 

tokie

Golden Member
Jun 1, 2006
1,491
0
0
I don't think the definition of a planet matters. At the specific level we commonly think of, all we need to know is whether something orbits the sun and not something orbiting something orbiting the sun.

Then we can pair it up with the earth. The moon wouldn't meet this definition.
 

l0cke

Diamond Member
Dec 12, 2005
3,790
0
0
The problem with designating Pluto as a real planet is that you have to add a few more, like Eris and Ceres. It makes a lot more sense to just remove Pluto.
 

techs

Lifer
Sep 26, 2000
28,559
4
0
Pluto is where the aliens have their secret base. The next step in their plan is to wipe all knowledge of Pluto from our data files.
 

Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
Moderator
Dec 11, 1999
16,708
4,669
75
If Pluto is a planet then so are Ceres (in the asteroid belt), Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, Eris, 2007 OR10, Sedna, Quaoar, Orcus, and probably many other undiscovered "dwarf planets".

Personally, I'd define a planet as an object big enough to retain an atmosphere, but not so big it starts nuclear fusion in its core. Which would rule out Mercury as well. :sneaky:

Posted from the second planet in a system of seven. ;)
 

JTsyo

Lifer
Nov 18, 2007
12,038
1,135
126
If Pluto is a planet then so are Ceres (in the asteroid belt), Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, Eris, 2007 OR10, Sedna, Quaoar, Orcus, and probably many other undiscovered "dwarf planets".

Personally, I'd define a planet as an object big enough to retain an atmosphere, but not so big it starts nuclear fusion in its core. Which would rule out Mercury as well. :sneaky:

Posted from the second planet in a system of seven. ;)

Won't Mercury hold an atmosphere if it wasn't so close to the sun?
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,577
3,764
126
Fuck that "planetlet" dwarf planet bullshit. Pluto has been a planet for most of my life...AFAIC, it's still a planet...just a small one.

Damn whippersnappers! Why - back in my day we had 9 planets!
 

randomrogue

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2011
5,449
0
0
The problem is that Pluto is tiny. We have much better technology today and are finding lots and lots of objects in our solar system. Pluto isn't that special anymore.
 

SlitheryDee

Lifer
Feb 2, 2005
17,252
19
81
I still think of Pluto as a planet, therefor it is a planet. Besides, how can something that iOS auto capitalizes not be the real deal?