5 mo. ago • 97%

Another one bites the cosmic dust

84 comments

Always "Pluto, Pluto, Pluto". Why does no one ever remember Ceres, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake? They're each as much of a "planet" as Pluto is.

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- Meanwhile I'm more focused on the "invisible 9th planet"
  
  There's apparently some gravitational data that says there should be a 9th planet in between Jupiter and Saturn* that we've simply been unable to physical observe.
  
  *I don't remember the actual placement
  
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  I thought we figured out why the calculations were off and it wasn't actually because of an unknown body out yonder? Is there new evidence or am i just misremembering stuff?
  
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  We've had "hidden" planets multiple times actually. In one case, we discovered Neptune by observing that Uranus' orbit was wonky, and this really Bolstered peoples' trust of Newton's gravitational theory.
  
  The existence of another planet even closer to the sun than Mercury, Vulcan, was also hypothesized by the same astronomer who predicted Neptune's existence. This was due to Mercury also having a wonky orbit. After Einstein's general relativity came about though, it was found that no new planet was necessary to explain Mercury's orbit.
  
  I think this new planet is the one predicted by Cal Tech "Planet Nine", is supposedly 10 Earths in size, orbits on average 20 times further out than Neptune, and has a very oblong orbit out in deep space.
  
  As another 'fun' tangent, there is some debate every now and again that dark matter may demonstrate that Einstein's Theory of Relativity is also flawed and that we're in need of a new theory. Currently, though, there has not been a sufficient new theory to take its place, so the existence of 'unseen' matter still is the strongest explanation we have. I put 'fun' in quotes because it seems like this debate is starting to affect astronomers and physicists the same way that 'The Orangutan" affects Edgar Allen Poe experts. Video related
  
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  The proposed 9th planet is beyond Sedna and is hypothesized because Kuiper belt objects are orbiting strangely to they figure a gravitational influence from further out is causing it. Uranus was seen doing the same thing and that's how Neptune was confirmed found.
  
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  between Jupiter and Saturn* that we’ve simply been unable to physical observe.
  
  *I don’t remember the actual placement
  
  If it were as close as Saturn, we'd be able to easily see it. If additional planets exist, they would be beyond Neptune, and likely quite far beyond it.
  
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  Do you have a link for that? Pluto is tiny and much farther away and we can easily see it. There's no reason I can think of why we couldn't see a planet in that orbit, even a small one.
  
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  We definitely have the telescopes to find it now if it exists, so I'd say it doesn't exist. What if it's a tiny black hole? Maybe it's a wormhole to Alpha Centauri!
  
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- Ceres was thought to be a planet as well. Better telescopes got it demoted.
  
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  Wait a minute, how did this happen? we're smarter than this!
  
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- They're all black
  
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  My Lord, is that legal?
  
  I'll make it legal
  
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There are larger planetoids than you Pluto.

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- A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one
  
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"A planet, the Sun is not."

Yoda when asked about his position
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- Oh no, I'm not brave enough for politics
  
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"I hate you!"

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- Yesssss! Use your hate!
  
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- Anger leads to hate, and hate leads to Power!
  
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"you have turned the astronomers against me!"

"You have done that yourself"

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Take your eccentric, elongated, path-uncleared orbit.

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- I don’t like the Kuiper Belt, it’s course and rough, and irritating and gets everywhere
  
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- So uncivilized!
  
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The attempt on my planetary status has left me errant and deformed

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This is democracy manifest!

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- So this is how a planet dies
  
  With thunderous applause
  
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Go sit beside the other minor planet Ceres Junda

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- I want to, but I know I shouldn't
  
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Real patronizing, Sun, you're practically the same age!

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- Aren't you a little short for a solar system planet?
  
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Outstanding meme Number One

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- So say we all.
  
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5
Neil de grasse Tyson shows up

Ah, the negotiator!

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"Is this because of my thesis"

For the uninitiated

https://youtu.be/oOjsYr-ZxCQ?si=ifwvH89EaOEONXtR

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- Best lines are at the end
  
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  You are god-damn right they are
  
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You hear about Pluto? That's messed up, right?

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- "I've heard it both ways."
  
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- From a certain point of view
  
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I still think it should be a honor planet or something. A dwarf planet just sounds bad.

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- Ok but honorary planet vs king of the dwarf planets?
  
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  My allegiance is to the republic, to democracy!
  
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- Hello Jerry, please beware of suspicious flying objects and be safe
  
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  Another happy landing
  
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- You want to get axed? 'Cause that's how you get axed.
  
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- You think Pluto gives a shit?
  
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  Twice the pride, double the fall!
  
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- Please clarify your meaning. Your comment has been perceived as ableist (i.e. disparaging towards people born with the medical condition of dwarfism) and I'd rather not remove it if that perception is based on a misunderstanding. Thanks.
  
  -1
  
  Oh no, I meant like I was raised to think of it like a planet and not a glorified asteriod, I meant nothing disparaging to anyone.
  
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  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf_planet
  
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This is where the orbit begins

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visible confusion

"That's... why I'm here"

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