Eris: The planet formerly known as Xena

[3113]

Thumbs up or thumbs down on Eris being part of the pantheon (the name that is. The planet is there whether we like it or not):

Eris, the largest dwarf planet known, was discovered in an ongoing survey at Palomar Observatory's Samuel Oschin telescope by astronomers Mike Brown (Caltech), Chad Trujillo (Gemini Observatory), and David Rabinowitz (Yale University). We officially suggested the name on 6 September 2006, and it was accepted and announced on 13 September 2006. In Greek mythology, Eris is the goddess of warfare and strife. She stirs up jealousy and envy to cause fighting and anger among men. At the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, the parents of the Greek hero Achilles, all the gods with the exception of Eris were invited, and, enraged at her exclusion, she spitefully caused a quarrel among the goddesses that led to the Trojan war. In the astronomical world, Eris stirred up a great deal of trouble among the international astronomical community when the question of its proper designation led to a raucous meeting of the IAU in Prague. At the end of the conference, IAU members voted to demote Pluto and Eris to dwarf-planet status, leaving the solar system with only eight planets.

The satellite of Eris has received the offical name Dysnomia, who in Greek mythology is Eris' daughter and the demon spirit of lawlessness. As Dysnomia is a bit of a mouthful, we tend to simply call the satellite Dy, for short.

As promised for the past year, the name Xena (and satellite Gabrielle) were simply placeholders while awaiting the IAU's decision on how an official name was to be proposed. As that process dragged on, however, many people got to know Xena and Gabrielle as the real names of these objects and are sad to see them change. We admit to some sadness ourselves.We used the names for almost two years now and are having a hard time swtiching. But for those who miss Xena, look for the obvious nod in the new name of the moon of Eris.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

3113,

I have a problem. Under the new difinition of a planet, Pluto is not a planet because it lacks enough mass while "Xena" or "Eris" appearently is a planet even though they are approximately the same size and mass. It sounds as though the Astro Scientists are wanting it both ways depending on Who finds What.

Then to add to the controversy, changing the name (which was discusted in July) simple confused the issue even more.

 

[rgraham666]

I'm thinking how amused I'd be if Eris, the goddess, showed up at the next IAU meeting and tossed a golden apple among them labelled 'For the smartest'.

 

[CopyCarver]

The bottom line is probably the fact that astronomers still haven't conclusively defined the word, "planet." That's probably not surprising--medical science hasn't had a boilerplate definition of "death" since McGill University students connected an EEG to a bowl of Jello and proved it was "alive"--but it seems bizarre, nevertheless.

I wonder if the planet formerly known as Xena would receive a better reception if it were named Gabrielle instead of Eris

 

[3113]

I have a problem. Under the new difinition of a planet, Pluto is not a planet because it lacks enough mass while "Xena" or "Eris" appearently is a planet even though they are approximately the same size and mass. It sounds as though the Astro Scientists are wanting it both ways depending on Who finds What.

Then to add to the controversy, changing the name (which was discusted in July) simple confused the issue even more.

Sounds like Eris, all right. Confusion and mayhem.

I think what they've done is actually a verbal bit of slight-of-hand. Eris and Pluto are "Dwarf" planets. The idea being (I think!), that any body of a certain, larger-than-Pluto size and independent (not orbiting another body, just the sun) is a "Planet," and any body of Pluto's size (and independent) is a dwarf planet.

In addition, the only planets that get counted as part of the solar system are those up to Neptune/Uranus. They were going to name Pluto and post-Pluto planets "plutons" but geologists objected.

 

[kendo1]

Disney is renaming Pluto as Dog.
Saves any confusion.

 

[Wildcard Ky]

Eris is not considered to be a major planet. It is in the same category as Pluto now, a minor planet. Officially, there are only 8 planets in our solar system now. Eris and Pluto are are part of the Kuiper (sp?) belt. It's basically a really huge asteroid belt on the outer edge of the solar system.

Pluto lost it's status partially because of how small it is. The entire planet would fit inside of the continental United States. It's much smaller than our moon.

This has happened before. In the mid 1800's we had 12 planets. There were 4 official planets between Mars and Jupiter. (Can't remember their names). Astronomers of the day realized that these "planets" were just very large objects within the asteroid belt. They were downgraded to minor planet status, and we had 8 major planets. Pluto was discovered in the 30's, and it was raised to 9 major planets.

Pluto has now been reclassified and we're back to 8 major planets.

 

[cantdog]

Someone on lit was using Eris as an av:

 

[cantdog]

Give the godlet her due, I say. "Gabrielle" is a silly name.

 

[CopyCarver]

Eris is not considered to be a major planet. It is in the same category as Pluto now, a minor planet. Officially, there are only 8 planets in our solar system now. Eris and Pluto are are part of the Kuiper (sp?) belt. It's basically a really huge asteroid belt on the outer edge of the solar system.

Pluto lost it's status partially because of how small it is. The entire planet would fit inside of the continental United States. It's much smaller than our moon.

This has happened before. In the mid 1800's we had 12 planets. There were 4 official planets between Mars and Jupiter. (Can't remember their names). Astronomers of the day realized that these "planets" were just very large objects within the asteroid belt. They were downgraded to minor planet status, and we had 8 major planets. Pluto was discovered in the 30's, and it was raised to 9 major planets.

Pluto has now been reclassified and we're back to 8 major planets.

Some wannabe astronomers regarded the moon as a planet for several centuties. Triton was also on many lists as was Vesta. (If nothing else, Isaac Asimov got a fair-to-middling s.f. story out of the latter.)

BTW, your spelling of Kuiper Belt gets an A.

 

[WARNINGWARNING]

"Eris, the largest dwarf planet known."

Kinda like those JUMBOshrimp, eh?

 

[TheeGoatPig]

"Eris, the largest dwarf planet known."

Kinda like those JUMBOshrimp, eh?

You mean prawns (yes, I know they are different, just laught at the joke and be happy for once )

 

[cantdog]

Pron, the fourth largest dwarf planet, is gazed upon by all astronomers..

 

[Wildcard Ky]

Okay, I remember the names of two of the previously demoted planets that I had mentioned. Juno and Vespa. I think the name of another was pronounced "series", but I'm not sure how it's spelled.

 

[rgraham666]

Okay, I remember the names of two of the previously demoted planets that I had mentioned. Juno and Vespa. I think the name of another was pronounced "series", but I'm not sure how it's spelled.

Ceres.

 

[cantdog]

Ayup. They used to call 'em asteroids which were large enough to have become spherical.

 

[oggbashan]

The argument is all about the size of balls.

We've heard arguments like this before...

Og