| |
Main
Date: 25 Aug 2006 01:30:04
From: IAU Realty
Subject: Will astro software now be revised .....
|
to reflect the new status of Pluto, as what?
hr
|
|
| |
Date: 25 Aug 2006 12:05:39
From: Davoud
Subject: Re: Will astro software now be revised .....
|
"IAU Realty" wrote:
> to reflect the new status of Pluto, as what?
None of my astro software concerns itself with nouns. In any case, I
may de-select "Pluto" under Display > Solar System Objects... then,
using the facility for user-defined objects, enter Pluto's orbital
parameters and name the object "The Planet Pluto." Take that, IAU
dynamicists!
Davoud
--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com
|
| |
Date: 25 Aug 2006 06:09:05
From: RMOLLISE
Subject: Re: Will astro software now be revised .....
|
IAU Realty wrote:
> to reflect the new status of Pluto, as what?
>
> hr
Hi:
In what way? Pluto ain't going away physically. Nobody is proposing to
get a tow truck and remove him from the Solar System. ;-)
If there's any change required, it would be minor, like putting
"(dwarf)" in his data page.
Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of:
Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
and
The Urban Astronomer's Guide
<http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland >
The Annual SCT User Imaging Contest is Underway!
<http://www.rothritter.com/contest/2006/ >
|
| | |
Date: 25 Aug 2006 10:25:19
From: Greg Crinklaw
Subject: Re: Will astro software now be revised .....
|
RMOLLISE wrote:
> IAU Realty wrote:
>> to reflect the new status of Pluto, as what?
>>
>> hr
>
> Hi:
>
> In what way? Pluto ain't going away physically. Nobody is proposing to
> get a tow truck and remove him from the Solar System. ;-)
>
> If there's any change required, it would be minor, like putting
> "(dwarf)" in his data page.
Exactly. Pluto isn't really a problem. It's the other minor solar
system bodies that appear to involve a greater change.
What I'm struggling with is what to do with the other dwarf planets in
particular, and minor planets in general. Under the hood, the orbit of
Pluto is handled in a completely different category from the other dwarf
planets. So it isn't natural to have them in the same category from
the user's perspective.
Should we add dwarf planets to the planet group or move Pluto to the
SSSO (SSSB?) (ick) group? Hmmm...
And since "minor planets" are no more, what do we call them? Ok, fine,
bring back the common term "asteroid." But should we really call a
Kuiper Belt Object and asteroid? Probably not. So we likely need a way
to discriminate between the KBOs and the asteroids, even though they are
all in the same big list of orbit data. And what about the minor planet
number? Like 1 Ceres? Is this now going to be called the Small Solar
System Object/Body Number? And if the IAU no longer officially makes a
distinction between comets and asteroids, then what? I really feel for
the people at the minor planet center!
I'm sure they either have a plan or will come up with one. But what to
do in the meantime? Gareth? You listening?
I think it a bit ironic that Pluto is getting all the attention just
because "dwarf" has been put in front of "planet" when "minor planets"
are now in chaos...
If anyone knows where I can get a copy of the actual IAU resolution, I'd
appreciate it. I can't seem to find it on their web site (you'd think
it would be on the front page).
Clear skies,
Greg
--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)
SkyTools: http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html
Observing: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html
Comets: http://www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html
To reply take out your eye
|
| | |
Date: 26 Aug 2006 15:55:16
From: Robert Sheaffer
Subject: Re: Will astro software now be revised .....
|
RMOLLISE wrote:
>
> IAU Realty wrote:
> > to reflect the new status of Pluto, as what?
> >
> > hr
>
> Hi:
>
> In what way? Pluto ain't going away physically. Nobody is proposing to
> get a tow truck and remove him from the Solar System. ;-)
>
> If there's any change required, it would be minor, like putting
> "(dwarf)" in his data page.
>
> Peace,
> Rod Mollise
Uncle Rod,
That's *exactly* what I'm doing with RTGUI! Pluto the Dwarf... it's
already in the new Beta!
Of course, if you want to find "Ceres", it's still under
"asteroids".......
|
| |
Date:
From: Martin Brown
Subject: Re: Will astro software now be revised .....
|
|
|
