It's official folks, Pluto, that small lump of rock at the edge of our solar system, is no longer a planet. (See: http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/08/24/pluto.ap/index.html)
The International Astronomical Union yesterday decided that Pluto no longer qualifies as a planet. It will now be called a "dwarf planet" along with objects Ceres (in the asteroid belt) and 2003UB313 (nicknamed "Xena") which is further out than Pluto and slightly larger.
I actually agree with this decision which reduces the number of planets in our solar system to eight. It really defines what a planet is, so that if any other large rocks in our solar system are discovered in the future (which they probably will be) there won't be arguments over whether they are planets or not. So now if we want to discover more planets we'll need to look in other solar systems - and I'm sure there are plenty out there - with life too!
But I just feel sorry for Mickey Mouse...
Friday, August 25, 2006
Thursday, August 17, 2006
How many planets in our solar system - 8, 9, 12, more?
I've grown up knowing that there were 9 planets in our Solar System, in fact I could recite them in order when I was just 4 years old! But now there is a proposal by the International Astronomical Union to change the number of planets to 12. (See: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14364833/). This would include Ceres, one of the larger, rounder asteroids orbiting between Mars and Jupiter; Charon, currently Pluto's moon; and 2003 UB313, a Pluto sized object a bit further out (its currently nicknamed Xena). Trouble is, when more similar sized objects are discovered these could be defined as planets and therefore there could be hundreds of planets in our solar system!
So there needs to be a method of defining exactly what a planet is. Here's what I think. A planet should be a round object, of a particular size (don't know what the would be), which orbits a star. This would then give us 8 planets. A satellite (or moon) is an object that orbits a planet. So what do we do with Pluto? Pluto is smaller than some of the satellites in our solar system. Pluto is out in the Kuiper Belt where there are other objects of similar size (or even bigger). And to add to the confusion is Pluto's "moon" - Charon. Charon is about half the size of Pluto and apparently they orbit each other! So would this then be a "double-planet"?
The IAU will vote on the proposal on August 24 so it will be very interesting to see what comes out of this.
So there needs to be a method of defining exactly what a planet is. Here's what I think. A planet should be a round object, of a particular size (don't know what the would be), which orbits a star. This would then give us 8 planets. A satellite (or moon) is an object that orbits a planet. So what do we do with Pluto? Pluto is smaller than some of the satellites in our solar system. Pluto is out in the Kuiper Belt where there are other objects of similar size (or even bigger). And to add to the confusion is Pluto's "moon" - Charon. Charon is about half the size of Pluto and apparently they orbit each other! So would this then be a "double-planet"?
The IAU will vote on the proposal on August 24 so it will be very interesting to see what comes out of this.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Maori Queen dies
Last night the Maori Queen, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, passed away in Ngaruawahia. She was the longest serving of any of the Maori monarchs so far - 40 years. (See: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200608151843/86c6cc) She will be greatly missed by many people in this country and around the world. She has done much for the people of Tainui (Waikato) and for the Maori world as a whole.
Of course it is big news for the people here where I work - Te Wananga o Aotearoa. Many of our staff members are attending the marae in Ngaruawahia tomorrow. I hope to be able to go to the tangi on Monday. I am going to find it quite fascinating.
In the past I had assumed that the Maori people had had a monarch for hundreds of years, like many other countries around the world, but believe it or not, this is not the case. The Maori King Movement (Kingitanga) only started in the 1850s. This movement arose among the Maori people to establish a symbolic role similar in status to that of the monarch of the colonizing people, the British. The rationalization was that in having a monarch of their own who could claim status similar to that of the British monarch at the time, Queen Victoria, Māori would be better equipped to deal with the colonizers in their negotiations with them. So when I first heard this I was quite amazed that it has only been around for about 150 years.
Now with the death of Dame Te Ata is it time for an end to the King Movement? Has it served its purpose now that we are in the 21st century? I guess we will find out very soon, in fact we'll find out this Monday when the new monarch is crowned. (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10396429) If one is chosen who will it be? Apparently it can be anyone, but traditionally it remains in the bloodline. Whoever it is let's hope it is someone as marvellous as Dame Te Atairangikaahu.
By the way, Wikipedia has updated their entries on this already! See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Te_Atairangi_Kaahu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_King_Movement
Of course it is big news for the people here where I work - Te Wananga o Aotearoa. Many of our staff members are attending the marae in Ngaruawahia tomorrow. I hope to be able to go to the tangi on Monday. I am going to find it quite fascinating.
In the past I had assumed that the Maori people had had a monarch for hundreds of years, like many other countries around the world, but believe it or not, this is not the case. The Maori King Movement (Kingitanga) only started in the 1850s. This movement arose among the Maori people to establish a symbolic role similar in status to that of the monarch of the colonizing people, the British. The rationalization was that in having a monarch of their own who could claim status similar to that of the British monarch at the time, Queen Victoria, Māori would be better equipped to deal with the colonizers in their negotiations with them. So when I first heard this I was quite amazed that it has only been around for about 150 years.
Now with the death of Dame Te Ata is it time for an end to the King Movement? Has it served its purpose now that we are in the 21st century? I guess we will find out very soon, in fact we'll find out this Monday when the new monarch is crowned. (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10396429) If one is chosen who will it be? Apparently it can be anyone, but traditionally it remains in the bloodline. Whoever it is let's hope it is someone as marvellous as Dame Te Atairangikaahu.
By the way, Wikipedia has updated their entries on this already! See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Te_Atairangi_Kaahu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_King_Movement
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