Pluto's reputation further dwarfed

[IndianaGreen]

Pluto's reputation further dwarfed

NICKY PHILLIPS
April 12, 2010

PLUTO has been dealt another blow. Not only was the celestial body demoted from a planet to a dwarf planet in 2006, but new research by Australian astronomers suggests dwarf planets are not as rare as first thought.

According to Charley Lineweaver of the Australian National University, if the classification of dwarf planets was applied properly there would be at least 50 more of them.

''It's like being a member of the Qantas Club: you think you're elite until you realise everyone else at the airport has a Qantas Club card, too,'' he said.

The International Astronomical Union sorts objects in the solar system into three groups: planets, dwarf planets and small solar system bodies. At present eight planets, five dwarf planets and thousands of small solar system bodies orbit the sun. To be given the title of dwarf planet, the union states an object needs to be in ''hydrostatic equilibrium''.

''That basically means it has to be round,'' said Dr Lineweaver.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/science/plutos-reputation-further-dwarfed-20100411-s0wc.html