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Collection:
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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Eight Planets and New Solar System Designations
Title
Eight Planets and New Solar System Designations
Title
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Explanation:
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How many planets are in the Solar System? This popular question now has a new formal answer according the International Astronomical Union [ http://en.wikipedia…] (IAU): eight. Last week, the IAU voted [ http://www.iau2006.…] on a new definition for planet [ http://www.iau2006.…] and Pluto [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] did not make the cut. Rather, Pluto was re-classified as a dwarf planet [ http://en.wikipedia…] and is considered as a prototype for a new category of trans-Neptunian objects [ http://en.wikipedia…]. The eight planets now recognized by the IAU are: Mercury [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Venus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Mars [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Jupiter [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Saturn [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Uranus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], and Neptune [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Solar System objects now classified as dwarf planets are: Ceres [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Pluto [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], and the currently unnamed 2003 UB313 [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Planets, by the new IAU definition, must be in orbit around the sun, be nearly spherical, and must have cleared the neighborhood around their orbits. The demotion of Pluto [ http://www.nineplan…] to dwarf planet status is a source of continuing dissent [ http://www.badastro…] and controversy [ http://newswire.asc…06 PDT&year=2006&public =0 ] in the astronomical community.
Explanation
How many planets are in the Solar System? This popular question now has a new formal answer according the International Astronomical Union [ http://en.wikipedia…] (IAU): eight. Last week, the IAU voted [ http://www.iau2006.…] on a new definition for planet [ http://www.iau2006.…] and Pluto [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] did not make the cut. Rather, Pluto was re-classified as a dwarf planet [ http://en.wikipedia…] and is considered as a prototype for a new category of trans-Neptunian objects [ http://en.wikipedia…]. The eight planets now recognized by the IAU are: Mercury [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Venus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Mars [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Jupiter [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Saturn [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Uranus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], and Neptune [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Solar System objects now classified as dwarf planets are: Ceres [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Pluto [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], and the currently unnamed 2003 UB313 [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Planets, by the new IAU definition, must be in orbit around the sun, be nearly spherical, and must have cleared the neighborhood around their orbits. The demotion of Pluto [ http://www.nineplan…] to dwarf planet status is a source of continuing dissent [ http://www.badastro…] and controversy [ http://newswire.asc…06 PDT&year=2006&public =0 ] in the astronomical community. Explanation
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Credit and Copyright:
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Credit_and_Copyright
Credit and Copyright
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facet_where:
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Mars
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Mars
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Mercury
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Mercury
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Pluto
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Pluto
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Saturn
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Saturn
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Jupiter
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Jupiter
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Venus
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Venus
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Uranus
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Uranus
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Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
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Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
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Earth
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Earth
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Sun
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Sun
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Mars
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Mars
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Mercury
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Mercury
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facet_what:
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Pluto
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Pluto
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Saturn
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Saturn
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Jupiter
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Jupiter
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Neptune
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Neptune
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Venus
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Venus
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Uranus
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Uranus
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solar system
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solar system
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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UID:
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SPD-APOD-ap060828
UID
SPD-APOD-ap060828
UID
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