why you should always clean your room

[melayneseahawk]

So, apparently, the reason Pluto is no longer a planet is because it keeps its room messy.

What I actually mean is that the definition the IAU used to define a planet is that it must a) orbit a star but not be another star or a moon; b) be round due to its gravity; and c) has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit. Since Pluto (and Eris and Ceres) fulfill the first two only, they're dwarf planets.

What have we learned? Clean your room, or else you might have your person status revoked.

(We have also learned that astronomy texts should not be read at 3a, but that's another thing.)

Comments

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Actually, if you're not round due to your own gravity (which is certainly a good thing :D), you're called a small solar system body.

At least, you would be if you were an asteroid. :P