• JackbyDev@programming.dev
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    4 days ago

    People fighting for Pluto that it should be a planet instead of a dwarf planet

    Ceres: 🥺

    Context: Ceres is now considered a dwarf planet, and used to be considered just an asteroid, but when it was first discovered it was considered a planet. That was in 1801. There is no objective criteria for what a planet is and isn’t. Like a lot of things in nature, things just exist, and as humans we categorize them. Ceres is round like a planet like Pluto. I’m not saying it should be considered a planet, I think dwarf planet fits them both nicely. As late as the 1950s Ceres was still sometimes considered a planet by some people.

    I have a sort spot for it. I love it.


    Edit: Because two people have misunderstood me now I’m going to say it more explicitly. I’m fully aware there is a scientific definition for dwarf planets. I’m not saying there isn’t. I’m just saying compared to something else like prime numbers there isn’t an obviously correct way to categorize them and the definition has changed over time. By stating the current definition of planets and/or dwarf planets you’re missing my point. Those definitions change. See here for the history.

    • shneancy@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      it blew my tiny mind when i found out that there are multiple dwarf planets in long solar orbits in our system

      they might be small and enjoy solitude but why are we forgetting about them???

      and now apparently there’s also a dwarf planet in the inner solar system that nobody talks about??? rude

      • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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        5 days ago

        Exactly! It’s right there past Mars! It’s not like it’s some weird thing off in the cold dark past Pluto.

    • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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      5 days ago

      There is no objective criteria for what a planet is and isn’t.

      There is, though, or rather there should be another one.

      The official definition says

      But I also said,

      Like a lot of things in nature, things just exist, and as humans we categorize them.