r/pluto • u/plutogirl • 23d ago

Make Pluto a Planet Again

https://c.org/ywfXMb6WhT
17 Upvotes

56% Upvoted

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9

u/ConsiderationOk4035 23d ago

Along with Sedna, Orcus, Haumea, Makake, Eris, and Gonggone (among others)?

2

u/plutogirl 22d ago

Yes. If they are in hydrostatic equilibrium, rounded by their own gravity, they are planets of the dwarf planet subcategory.

3

u/ConsiderationOk4035 22d ago

As is Pluto. Why then the call to make Pluto a planet “again” when it is already a dwarf planet?

0

u/plutogirl 22d ago

Because the IAU definition specifically says dwarf planets aren't planets at all but another type of object entirely. This is contradicted by the Dawn mission to Ceres and the New Horizons mission to Pluto, both of which showed these worlds to have planetary processes and geology similar to those seen on the terrestrial worlds.

1

u/ConsiderationOk4035 22d ago

What about planetary mass moons such as Titan, Ganymede, etc.? Should they be classified as planets as well?

2

u/plutogirl 22d ago

According to the geophysical planet definition, spherical moons are considered secondary or satellite planets (as opposed to primary planets, which orbit a star directly).

0

u/NotBillderz 22d ago

So why diminish their value just because of location? We don't think it's right to do that with people do we? Just because someone lives in NY or LA doesn't make them more prestigious than someone who lives in Wyoming or North Dakota. If Ganymede was where Pluto is it would be a planet, certainly to those like you who want to make Pluto the 9th planet.

1

u/plutogirl 22d ago

Referring to spherical moons as satellite planets does not in any way diminish their value. It just puts them in a different subcategory of planet, specifically, planets that orbit another planet.