3 New Planets (& more on the way?)

The International Astronomical Union has released the draft of its Planet Definition Committee (PDC) report on what defines a planet. If it is approved by the IAU General Assembly there will be a new class of planets defined as well as what is the lower limit to being a planet. the 3 new planets are Ceres, Charon & 2003 UB313.

For Ceres it is a return to the status it had when 1st discovered in the 1800s. It was demoted after several other asteroids were found between Mars & Jupiter. Some other asteroids may eventually be reclassified as dwarf planets. They include Pallas, Vesta, and Hygeia.

Pluto, Charon, & 2003 UB313 would be the 1st of a new classification called Plutons. To be classified as such it would have to meet a few criteria. It would have to have an orbit lasting longer than 200 Earth yrs. It would have to be highly excentric & tilted much more than the average planet. & of course above the minimun size.

Til now Charon has been considered a moon of Pluto although it has sometimes been called a double planet system. This makes it official. Yet, the same description has been used for Earth & the Moon. But, the moon isn't being reclassified due to a 2nd requirement, that the barycenter (the point that represents their common center of gravity, or the point they share an orbit arround) be outside the surface of the larger body. If the barycenter is inside the surface of 1 of the bodies then the other is considered to orbit arround it. So the Moon, Titan Ganymede, & a few other moons will remain satellites.

Any object, currently known or yet to be discovered that doesn't fit into 1 of the 4 types of planet (Terrestrial, Jovian Dwarf or Pluton) is put into the class of Small Solar System Bodies. The term currently used, minor planet, will be retired. There is still 1 more type of object that might be a part of our or another solar system, That would be an object that would fit into the brown dwarf star or any other category of star. A full definition of what is the point of differentiation between a Jovian or gas giant planet & a brown dwarf star has yet to be decided.

After some discussion & refinement the resolution will be up for approval on 24 August.

Whatever the result this whole debate continues to show how complex creation is. & for me all the more proof that it didn't just come into existence by chance. For me, everytime I see a picture of a planet, look up at the skies at night or even read about the planets, stars, etc, Psalm 8 becomes even more real & true to me:

"When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established; what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him?"Psalm 8:3-4(RSV)

The resolution:

http://www.iau2006.org/mirror/www.iau.org/iau0601/iau0601_resolution.html

To read more about the resolution:
http://www.iau2006.org/mirror/www.iau.org/iau0601/iau0601_release.html

To read more about why Charon made the cut & Earth's Moon didn't:
http://www.iau2006.org/mirror/www.iau.org/NEWS.55.0.html

Astronomy Magazine Article:

http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=4459