Would somebody please create a planet definition that makes sense? Geography of the solar system doesn't cut it for me. And the current definition doesn't include Jupiter as far as I can tell.
The official definition of a plutoid is
A body that has sufficient mass for their self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that they assume a hydrostatic equilibrium (near-spherical) shape, and that have not cleared [their orbits of debris]. [Outside of Neptune that is -dsj]
The definition of a planet is:
- is in orbit around the Sun,
- has sufficient mass so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape,
- has "cleared the neighbourhood" around its orbit.
I am not sure what "cleared the neighbourhood" means, but Jupiter has two large bodies of asteroids in its orbits. So is it a planet?
I don't mind having 13 or 14 planets, but I do mind these asinine definitions the IAU seems to be constructing.
Be scientists please.
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