Comment on Sad Ganymede noises

• yetAnotherUser@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  I propose a better definition:

  Planets are very large objects orbitting a star that dwarf everything nearby

  I’m pretty sure this is the intent of the IAU’s definition. It’s just more specific.

  source

  • Cethin@lemmy.zip ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Ah, yes. “very large”, “dwarf everything”, and “nearby” are very specific terms…

    source

    • yetAnotherUser@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      Yes, that is why I mentioned the IAU’s definition was more specific.

      Very large? Enough mass to have a round shape.

      Dwarf everything nearby? Clear out its orbit by colliding with/capturing/ejecting shit.

      source
• Cethin@lemmy.zip ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  Many asteroids are round. The list of planets, under your definition, would be so large it isn’t useful anymore. Even when Ceres, Pluto, and Eris were called planets the list was getting too long, and there are several larger than Ceres. Including every nominally round object would be insane.

  source