Now it looks like Pluto is losing planet status after all

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/22/science/space/22cnd-pluto.html?ex=1313899200&en=f8c59d8d87dbf9ab&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

"So the newest resolution includes the requirement for orbital dominance as a condition for full-fledged planethood, Dr. Gingerich said. That knocks out Pluto, which crosses the orbit of Neptune, and Xena, which orbits among the icy wrecks of the Kuiper Belt, and Ceres, which is in the asteroid belt. "

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So the definition I posted previously is still in play but the additional criteria of orbital dominance takes Pluto (as well as Ceres and Xena) out of the running.

Now it looks like Pluto is losing planet status after all

Originally published at Twixel.net. You can comment here or there.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/22/science/space/22cnd-pluto.html?ex=1313899200&en=f8c59d8d87dbf9ab&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

“So the newest resolution includes the requirement for orbital dominance as a condition for full-fledged planethood, Dr. Gingerich said. That knocks out Pluto, which crosses the orbit of Neptune, and Xena, which orbits among the icy wrecks of the Kuiper Belt, and Ceres, which is in the asteroid belt. ”

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So the definition I posted previously is still in play but the additional criteria of orbital dominance takes Pluto (as well as Ceres and Xena) out of the running.