A Week of Suckage

[friendofjimmyk]

I had a three-year old in the lane behind me grab my rump. Mom went ape-shit on him, saying that was rude and "don't even think of trying that again until you're 13".

.

Why 13? Is that the age of consent for booty grabbing?

[friendofjimmyk]

For some reason, the astronomy powers-that-be seem to be absolutely terrified of doing anything that makes the solar system have more than 9 planets. I don't get it. Honestly, so we have 10 or more planets? Other than having to jigger that memory sentence around (Mary's Violet Eyes Makes Johnny Sit Up Nice Period, or Period Nice, depending on where they are in their orbits.), what's the big, hairy deal?

I was just talking about this stuff with a friend of mine the other day. Pluto, by some scientific folk, has been now labeled as a "planetoid". Not for the count of planets in the solar system but because of its make up or size or something like that.

Then there are those that say it is and always will be a planet.

It's 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 ,000,000,000,000,000,000 light years away - its cold as hell, as if we'd ever visit it - at least not in my life time - does it all even matter?

[Samaliel]

Well, it's just nomenclature, so no, it doesn't really matter. But scientists are trying to get their stuff together, you know ? Trying to define what exactly is a planet, stuff like that... And then they realize that Pluto doesn't fit in their shiny new definition. So they either have to get back to their definition and change it so that Pluto isn't left out anymore, or say : "To hell with that : it's now a planetoid. Period." But of course some other scientists won't agree, and then things will get ugly.

Think of a flamewar on an astronomy geeks' forum. Just with more diplomas relevant to subject at hand.

[Pagan]

Then there are those that say it is and always will be a planet.

Yes, we're stubborn that way!

As I remember, too, the IAU demoted it, but there's another group that still classes it as a planet. I just can't remember who it is or find them on the web.

[Samaliel]

It's 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 ,000,000,000,000,000,000 light years away - its cold as hell, as if we'd ever visit it - at least not in my life time - does it all even matter?

Actually, it's not even a light-year away. Roughly 0.8 ly, if I'm not mistaken. It's still quite far away (unless I meet Ford Prefect, I'm not hiking there) : more than 7 billion km.

Just saying that hyperbole was a bit over the top.

[Pagan]

(unless I meet Ford Prefect, I'm not hiking there) : more than 7 billion km.

If you do, just make sure you don't forget your towel!

[Samaliel]

Don't worry, I always have one at the ready in my backpack. Not that I'm that huge a fan of H2G2 (I haven't even finished reading the books). I'm just tend to sweat a lot, so it's always handy to have a towel. But it's damn funny to see the looks on the faces of those who mentions H2G2 when I pull it out of my bag.