A Conversation for H2G2 Astronomical Society Questions and Answers.
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Professor Sarah Bellum Started conversation Aug 9, 2001
I still haven't had any more questions. In fact since I posted this entry I haven't heard a word about it from anyone and no indication that anyone's even SEEN it. It makes me very sad, epsically since I spent several MONTHS on it.
However, when I first created the entry I asked about for some questions to start me off on top of the ones that I had and only had two replies. One was from Nick who gave me some good questions and I've been thinking hard about them and I can probably answer most of them. There is one that although I can answer it wont since it is 'Where is God?'.
Also when the AS first started up Galaxy Babe mentioned that she'd like to help me and gave me some questions. They weren't on the subject of theory but since I have no other questions to work on and since they shouldn't take me long I will include them soon.
Has anyone read this entry? Should I used Drake's equation to find out the number of people likely to read it? Are you reciveing me? Would you like to discuss my answers over a cup of ?
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Yeliab {h2g2as} Posted Aug 11, 2001
WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW
Yep this looks good, I haven't read it yet (I'm a slow reader) but I will do and then give you all the colors to finish it off, but it really looks fantastic. Well done and thank you!
Have a cup of tea
Nick
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Professor Sarah Bellum Posted Aug 11, 2001
Good idea (). I'll look forward to hearing from more people and they new questions will be coming in. It will possible be chainging it a bit or a lot but I'll have to think about it first. The next set of questions I'll work on when I get back from holiday () but they wont take long and then I work on your questions unless I get any requests.
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shagbark Posted Oct 13, 2002
Here's a question for you: What is the minimum criterion for a body to be considered a planet (rather than a planetoid or KBO)?
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Professor Sarah Bellum Posted Oct 13, 2002
Is this in relation to the new 'planet' being found in our Solar System? Quoaor (spelling?. I'll get back to you with the answer but it may interest you to know that the only reason that Pluto is keeping its status as a planet it becuase it has become so well known as a planet and therefore keep its planet status by defult. In reality Pluto is just a VERY large Kuiper Belt object.
I've recently recieved a suggestion that Triton and Neriad, Neptune's two largest moons are captured Kuiper Belt objects.
+ ME =
+ ME =
+ + ME =
I better see to the above.
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shagbark Posted Oct 14, 2002
I wonder what criterion Mercury meets that Quaoar does not.
I think that is unfair that something would be denied planetary status just because it is more than 40AU from the sun.
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Professor Sarah Bellum Posted Oct 17, 2002
I've been looking into your question. I don't think the distance makes much difference. Quoaor is a lot smaller than Mercury. I don't think I can really give you an answer to your question. The best definition of a planet I could get is:
Body which revolves around the Sun of a star but and reflects the hast stars light.
Not in quite same words though.
An asteroid is the same as a planetoid is:
Small rock Solar System bodies that orbit the Sun and reflect its light.
I can see these are not really helpful.
All I can really think of is what is the difference between a lake and a sea or what is the difference between and river and a stream? I'm sorry I can't be more helpful but I'll let you know if I can shed new light on the answer.
The origonal meaning of planet dosen't really help either. It means 'wanderer'. If you E-mail me from the picture of the dragon on the paint pot on my page I'll send you a link about Quoaor if that's what you're really interested in.
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shagbark Posted Oct 19, 2002
Interesting question. A quick google search mentioned light reflecting off Iridium in communications satellites. I imagine the
Professor can give a more comeplete answer.
Getting back to the definition of a planet. You suggested the analagy of bodies of water. this reminded me that When a local freeway was built a pond size body of water was named Lake Interstate.
It was smaller than some ponds but because it was named by the state it is considered a Lake. So I guess that leads to the definition
Something is a Planet when A body with sufficient authority
(like the IAU) says it is.
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Professor Sarah Bellum Posted Jan 28, 2007
Planet, planetoid or Planetesimal?
Here is the ANSWER.
A planet is a body the is spherical, orbits the Sun, isn't part of any group of debry (Asteroid Belt, Kuiper Belt, Oort Cloud e.t.c.) and isn't a moon of another body.
A planetoid needs to be sphrical, orbit the Sun and not be a moon.
The rest are planetesimals.
I heard this information quite a long time ago so I may have missed something out. I can check but for now I think that is the main difference.
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shagbark Posted Jan 30, 2007
Of course you are forgetting the new category put in by th IAU
"Dwarf Planets"
Here is a question in that regard.
Pluto is a dwarf Planet. what about Charon since the center of rotation is outside the surface of Pluto would it still be considered a moon?
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Professor Sarah Bellum Posted Mar 23, 2007
I'll have to look into your question. It may interest you to know that Pluto was once considered to be two planets being Pluto and Charon. Maybe we should look at Nix and Hydra - Pluto's other two moons. If you're prepared to wait ten years, New Horizons will arrive at Pluto and there'll be a lot of discussion and plenty and answers and even more questions.
I have heard about theories of star systems that have a planet so large that it becomes as star but it still considered part of the A star's solar system.
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Traveller in Time Reporting Bugs -o-o- Broken the chain of Pliny -o-o- Hired Posted May 4, 2007
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Traveller in Time Reporting Bugs -o-o- Broken the chain of Pliny -o-o- Hired Posted May 11, 2007
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shagbark Posted May 12, 2007
what he is sying Professor is he wants to be around to hear any new questions or answers.
Right now I suppose you could say categories in Our system are
Sun, Planets, Dwarf Planets, Planetoids, Planetessimals, Comets, Meteors, satellites. Have I left anything out?
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Professor Sarah Bellum Posted May 12, 2007
Asteroids. I think you should mean that than Meteors, after all they are asteroid until they enter the atmosphere of another body. Meteroids I think are also included. They are too small to be asteroid but too big to be space dust.
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Professor Sarah Bellum Posted May 13, 2007
In reply to posting 11 about Dwarf Planets, I did about 30 seconds research last night and it seams tnat Dwarf Planets are the same thing as planetoids.
Since I did very little reserach since it was half twelve when I looked I may be wrong but I'll look into it a bit more l8er.
.....
Key: Complain about this post
More questions.
- 1: Professor Sarah Bellum (Aug 9, 2001)
- 2: Yeliab {h2g2as} (Aug 11, 2001)
- 3: Professor Sarah Bellum (Aug 11, 2001)
- 4: shagbark (Oct 13, 2002)
- 5: Professor Sarah Bellum (Oct 13, 2002)
- 6: shagbark (Oct 14, 2002)
- 7: Professor Sarah Bellum (Oct 17, 2002)
- 8: Yeliab {h2g2as} (Oct 18, 2002)
- 9: shagbark (Oct 19, 2002)
- 10: Professor Sarah Bellum (Jan 28, 2007)
- 11: shagbark (Jan 30, 2007)
- 12: Professor Sarah Bellum (Mar 23, 2007)
- 13: Traveller in Time Reporting Bugs -o-o- Broken the chain of Pliny -o-o- Hired (May 4, 2007)
- 14: Professor Sarah Bellum (May 11, 2007)
- 15: Traveller in Time Reporting Bugs -o-o- Broken the chain of Pliny -o-o- Hired (May 11, 2007)
- 16: shagbark (May 12, 2007)
- 17: Professor Sarah Bellum (May 12, 2007)
- 18: Professor Sarah Bellum (May 13, 2007)
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