8.16.2006
Planet law
Fifteen billion years of cosmic evolution and here on Earth we still don't know what a planet is.Needless to say, the definition of a planet is a sizzling hot topic at the International Astronomical Union (IAU) 26th General Assembly now underway in Prague.
And on August 24, after a couple of years of debate, the IAU will finally vote on the proposal for the definition of a planet (Draft Resolution 5 for GA-XXVI).
(The not quite uncontroversial proposal is put together by a seven-member Planet Definition Committee which by the way includes no lawyers.)
If the world's astronomers who make up the IAU approve the resolution, meet your new 12-planet (and counting) Solar System: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Charon and 2003 UB313.
Cosmic change is good.
