After the IAU: it's not over yet
Oh dear, look what’s circulating on the web. Here we have a petition against the new definition of a planet, seeking scientists’ support for a boycott of the IAU resolution. I will provide some context in my next post, here.
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Sent: Fri 8/25/2006
Subject: Petition Protesting the IAU Planet Definition
Dear Colleagues -
Less than 5% of the astronomical community voted at the Prague IAU for a definition of 'planet' that uses dynamics (location) rather than intrinsic properties to decide if an object is or is not a planet. This result is counter to other classification schemes in astronomy (e.g., stars, galaxies, nebulae, even asteroids) in which dynamical context does not play a controlling role.
Furthermore, it produces results that are incongruous and cannot be extended within our own solar system or to extra-solar planetary systems without producing immediate results that are patently absurd: e.g., a Neptune-sized object discovered beyond 150 AU could not be a planet, the presence of an Earth orbiting its star between a Jupiter and a Saturn would mean the Earth could not be considered a planet since it could not clear its "neighborhood".
This definition also excludes Pluto from planethood in our solar system, something that is both scientifically questionable and publicly problematic. Both Pluto and a distant Neptune would be classified as a "dwarf planet", which is not to be considered a subcategory of "planet".
If you agree that this process and its consequences are flawed, you are invited to sign a web-petition protesting this action at
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The petition will be transmitted to the IAU.
Please redistribute this message to planetary and astronomical colleagues only. It is not meant to be a public petition. Thank you.
Mark Sykes (Planetary Science Institute)
S. Alan Stern (Southwest Research Institute)
Faith Vilas (MMT Observatory)
Christopher T. Russell (University of California, Los Angeles)
Larry Lebofsky (University of Arizona)
Ted Bowell (Lowell Observatory)
Carolyn Shoemaker (US Geological Survey)
David Levy (Jarnac Observatory)
David Grinspoon (Denver Museum of Nature & Science)
Harold Weaver (Applied Physics Laboratory)
David Weintraub (Vanderbilt University)
Amy Lovell (Agnes Scott College)
*Weblink removed to respect the organisers’ wish that the petition represent the views of the scientific community.
Comments
I agree with the comments of the author of this blog. Since I am not a degree carrying astronomer, I cannot join the IAU. I am passionate about astronomy and have sent the IAU emails urging them to reconsider what they have done. But since, I am unschooled, they have declined to respond. I have started my own protest, with a Pluto Ribbon Campaign (for posting on web sites.)
By definition, as I understand it, and remember, I am unschooled, is that Jupiter must be dropped from the list of planets as well as Neptune, both of these planets have failed to met the required, "cleaning of the neighbourhood" so to speak. I respectfully request that my name stand on your list as a voice of the tax paying community, who ultimately pays the research bills. Thank you and God Bless, keep up the fight.
Posted by: David Graham | August 27, 2006 11:41 PM
I just did a post "Pluto is a Planet" and a video on YouTube with the same title.
I also linked to this blog.
I see some pretty arrogant stupidity on the part of the IAU, much secrecy and controversy.
Planets must be round, orbiting sun, and have a clean neighborhood?
How haughty for Earthlings to speak of clean neighborhoods. Space junk debris orbiting Earth, war, global warming, pollution, genocide...oh yeah.
Some great planet we're running here.
IAU is a joke.
Posted by: steven e. streight aka vaspers the grate | August 30, 2006 07:25 AM