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Informal Science Education Network              <[log in to unmask]> writes:
>I assume the voting in Prague may be done by now, but I have not seen
>the final results.  I can imagine they will not make a decision, since
>the definition of a planet will not affect what researchers do.  This
>deferment of a decision was hinted at in yesterday's NY Times article --
>see link below:


The latest is that the vote to declare the "classical planets" (everything to Neptune) passed.  Pluto is not, officially, a classical planet.  Resolutions 5a and 5b passed.  They're working on 6
right now - i.e. what to call Pluto & the other objects, possibly "trans-Neptunian objects".  The part of the resolution that declared "hydrostatic equilibrium" and "cleared its surrounding
neighborhood" as planet characteristics passed.  Pluto doesn't apparently qualify for "cleared its surrounding neighborhood".

If you have a PC, you can go to the IAU website & watch the proceedings right now (they don't support Mac computers for the webcast).  One of our astronomers is watching it & just gave me a quick
update by phone.

My disclaimer is that nothing is OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL until the IAU press conference at 11 am CDT.

Michelle

Michelle Nichols, Master Educator for Informal Programs
Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum
1300 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL  60605
312-322-0520 
312-322-9181 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org

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