spacetoday.net: space news from around the webin association with SpaceNews


Dwarf planet named
Posted: Tue, Jul 22, 2008, 7:16 AM ET (1116 GMT)
Makemake dwarf planet illustration (IAU) An object in the outer solar system whose discovery helped trigger a new definition for the term "planet" has been given an official name. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) announced Saturday that object 2005 FY9 is now officially known as 136472 Makemake, the Polynesian creator of humanity and god of fertility. The name was proposed by Mike Brown, the Caltech astronomer who discovered the object. The discovery of Makemake, slightly smaller than Pluto, along with two other objects, Eris and 2003 EL61, prompted a debate on the definition of a planet that led to a 2006 IAU vote that effectively demoted Pluto from planethood. Pluto, Eris, Makemake, and the largest asteroid, Ceres, are all classified as "dwarf planets" by the IAU.
<<previous article   next article>>
news in brief
Starship explodes during preparations for static-fire test
Posted: Sun, Jun 22 6:52 AM ET (1052 GMT)

French government leads investment in Eutelsat
Posted: Sat, Jun 21 8:38 AM ET (1238 GMT)

NASA further delays Ax-4 launch
Posted: Sat, Jun 21 8:34 AM ET (1234 GMT)

news links
Thursday, July 3
SpaceX double launch lights up Florida sky, but most Volusia beachgoers don't notice
Daytona Beach (FL) News-Journal — 2:39 am ET (0639 GMT)


about spacetoday.net   ·   info@spacetoday.net   ·   mailing list