• Home
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • News Tips/Press Releases
  • Advertising
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
No Result
View All Result
The Times-Delphic
  • News
    • All
    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    February brings severe weather, negative temperatures

    February brings severe weather, negative temperatures

    Drake announces room and board fee increase for 2021-2022

    Drake announces room and board fee increase for 2021-2022

    Public Safety investigates stolen catalytic converters

    Public Safety investigates stolen catalytic converters

    Racial Epithets vs Political Disagreement

    Racial Epithets vs Political Disagreement

    Drake Theatre Department Presents Online Musical

    Drake Theatre Department Presents Online Musical

    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Sports
    • All
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    Women’s Tennis Begins New Season

    Women’s Tennis Begins New Season

    Buying Tickets for a Chance to Catch a Game

    Buying Tickets for a Chance to Catch a Game

    Women’s Tennis Faces off Against Colorado State University

    Women’s Tennis Faces off Against Colorado State University

    Annual Pink Out game adapts to COVID precautions

    Annual Pink Out game adapts to COVID precautions

    Valparaiso hands Drake Men’s Basketball first loss of the season

    Valparaiso hands Drake Men’s Basketball first loss of the season

    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • All
    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Letter to the Editor
    Welcome to Class: Savings 101

    Welcome to Class: Savings 101

    Car Accident Sends One Writer on Ride of Shame

    Car Accident Sends One Writer on Ride of Shame

    To all The Boys: Always and Forever: Movie Brings Jams, Tears and Existential Dread

    To all The Boys: Always and Forever: Movie Brings Jams, Tears and Existential Dread

    Big Time Ranked: The Top Ten Big Time Rush Songs

    Big Time Ranked: The Top Ten Big Time Rush Songs

    Hockey Fights Cancer

    Making the Best of 2021

    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Features
    • All
    • Greek Life
    Drake alum shares career, life after graduation

    Drake alum shares career, life after graduation

    Annual Pink Out game adapts to COVID precautions

    Annual Pink Out game adapts to COVID precautions

    A Conversation with Indira Sheumaker

    A Conversation with Indira Sheumaker

    Indira Sheumaker announces her run for city council

    Indira Sheumaker announces her run for city council

    “Be Unstoppable” Career Fair Offers Networking for Students

    “Be Unstoppable” Career Fair Offers Networking for Students

    • Greek Life
  • Podcasts
    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Humans of Drake Podcast

    Bulldog Blitz 1: December 7, 2010

    The Sports Report 2010 7: 11/09/2010

  • Relays Edition
    Rainbow Union Empowers the LGBTQ+ Community at Drake

    Rainbow Union Empowers the LGBTQ+ Community at Drake

    Avengers: Endgame Predictions

    Avengers: Endgame Predictions

    Drake professors define their teaching experiences

    Evening at the observatory: Is There an Anti-Me?

    Evening at the observatory: Is There an Anti-Me?

    Bulldogs football completes 9th winning season in 10 years

    You can be the force to finally change Drake’s culture

    Student press is essential for letting students’ voices be heard

    Rolle breaks Drake triple jump record

    Rolle breaks Drake triple jump record

    First-year uses photo talent to market Drake’s campus

    Spanish class spotlights important Latinas

    Blitz Day festivities include revealing Relays concert, theme

    Blitz Day festivities include revealing Relays concert, theme

    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Uncategorized
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives
    • Opinion
  • News
    • All
    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    February brings severe weather, negative temperatures

    February brings severe weather, negative temperatures

    Drake announces room and board fee increase for 2021-2022

    Drake announces room and board fee increase for 2021-2022

    Public Safety investigates stolen catalytic converters

    Public Safety investigates stolen catalytic converters

    Racial Epithets vs Political Disagreement

    Racial Epithets vs Political Disagreement

    Drake Theatre Department Presents Online Musical

    Drake Theatre Department Presents Online Musical

    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Sports
    • All
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    Women’s Tennis Begins New Season

    Women’s Tennis Begins New Season

    Buying Tickets for a Chance to Catch a Game

    Buying Tickets for a Chance to Catch a Game

    Women’s Tennis Faces off Against Colorado State University

    Women’s Tennis Faces off Against Colorado State University

    Annual Pink Out game adapts to COVID precautions

    Annual Pink Out game adapts to COVID precautions

    Valparaiso hands Drake Men’s Basketball first loss of the season

    Valparaiso hands Drake Men’s Basketball first loss of the season

    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • All
    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Letter to the Editor
    Welcome to Class: Savings 101

    Welcome to Class: Savings 101

    Car Accident Sends One Writer on Ride of Shame

    Car Accident Sends One Writer on Ride of Shame

    To all The Boys: Always and Forever: Movie Brings Jams, Tears and Existential Dread

    To all The Boys: Always and Forever: Movie Brings Jams, Tears and Existential Dread

    Big Time Ranked: The Top Ten Big Time Rush Songs

    Big Time Ranked: The Top Ten Big Time Rush Songs

    Hockey Fights Cancer

    Making the Best of 2021

    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Features
    • All
    • Greek Life
    Drake alum shares career, life after graduation

    Drake alum shares career, life after graduation

    Annual Pink Out game adapts to COVID precautions

    Annual Pink Out game adapts to COVID precautions

    A Conversation with Indira Sheumaker

    A Conversation with Indira Sheumaker

    Indira Sheumaker announces her run for city council

    Indira Sheumaker announces her run for city council

    “Be Unstoppable” Career Fair Offers Networking for Students

    “Be Unstoppable” Career Fair Offers Networking for Students

    • Greek Life
  • Podcasts
    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Humans of Drake Podcast

    Bulldog Blitz 1: December 7, 2010

    The Sports Report 2010 7: 11/09/2010

  • Relays Edition
    Rainbow Union Empowers the LGBTQ+ Community at Drake

    Rainbow Union Empowers the LGBTQ+ Community at Drake

    Avengers: Endgame Predictions

    Avengers: Endgame Predictions

    Drake professors define their teaching experiences

    Evening at the observatory: Is There an Anti-Me?

    Evening at the observatory: Is There an Anti-Me?

    Bulldogs football completes 9th winning season in 10 years

    You can be the force to finally change Drake’s culture

    Student press is essential for letting students’ voices be heard

    Rolle breaks Drake triple jump record

    Rolle breaks Drake triple jump record

    First-year uses photo talent to market Drake’s campus

    Spanish class spotlights important Latinas

    Blitz Day festivities include revealing Relays concert, theme

    Blitz Day festivities include revealing Relays concert, theme

    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Uncategorized
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives
    • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
The Times-Delphic
No Result
View All Result
Home Commentary

The status of Pluto as a planet in the Milky Way

byANNIE FURMAN
November 24, 2019
in Commentary, Top Stories
0 0
0
The status of Pluto as a planet in the Milky Way

by ANNIE FURMAN

There are three qualifying factors an astronomical object must have before it is considered a planet. According to the International Astronomical Union, the three different aspects defining a “planet” are: a planet must be an object in orbit around the Sun with a diameter greater than 2000km, a planet must have a stable shape due to its own gravity and lastly, a planet must be dominant in its immediate neighborhood due to its own gravity. When examining Pluto, the small planet of our solar system comes up short. 

Most of us remember in elementary school learning the phrase – “My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas” –where Pluto equaled Pizza; partly fulfilling the first qualification of a planet by orbiting the Sun. Pluto orbiting the Sun with a diameter greater than 2000km settles the first requirement. We intuitively know Pluto also has a stable shape due to its own gravity. The problem with Pluto being a planet is derived with the third requirement; dominance. The third requirement alone classifies Pluto to dwarf planet status.  

 According to the site Universe Today, a dwarf planet can be defined as any planet beyond the orbit of Neptune that has a size comparable to Pluto. There are currently five recognized dwarf planets in our solar system and 6 more waiting for approval for recognition.  In the future, there are up to 500 objects that are located in the Kuiper Belt that could also possibly be considered dwarf planets. According to spaceplace.nasa.gov, the Kuiper Belt is a circumstellar disc outside of the orbit of Neptune that spans 50 astronomical units (distance from Earth to the Sun) away from the Sun. The Kuiper Belt is very similar to the asteroid belt (which is located outside the orbit of Mars) but much, much larger. 

 Pluto is in quite good company as a dwarf planet, however many people are still confused as to why the Planet was reclassified. To better understand why Pluto falls into this new category, we need to further examine the third classification of a planet; clearing its own neighborhood. 

The third classification of a planet is being able to clear its own immediate neighborhood due to the planet’s own gravity. What this means is a planet itself needs to be massive enough to have enough gravity to either have bodies orbit it, a moon, or be big enough to push everything else away. Pluto simply doesn’t not have enough gravity to “clear its neighborhood” so it has a good amount of other bodies surrounding it in its orbit. 

When Pluto was classified as a dwarf planet, many people were really upset because it seemed like we were “demoting” Pluto for no reason. Plus, the mnemonic phrase we learned as kids stopped making sense – our mother served us nine what?  We needed Pluto to be “pizza”. However, we can clearly see that we are just moving Pluto to a new and exciting classification where it really belongs.

Tags: Commentary

ANNIE FURMAN

Next Post
How Joon-ho’s film “Parasite” recaptures the old magic of cinema

How Joon-ho's film "Parasite" recaptures the old magic of cinema

Twitter Feeds

The Times-Delphic
The Times-Delphic @timesdelphic

hot cocoa in the superior cup tonight https://t.co/zxbBJvfh94
View on Twitter
timesdelphic photo
3
56
The Times-Delphic
The Times-Delphic @timesdelphic

Attached is The Times-Delphic statement on the recent BSC budget reduction proposal.
This statement was signed off by all other BSC organizations. https://t.co/2zQdLtphOI
View on Twitter
timesdelphic photo
28
91

Recommended

Halloween (2018) Movie Review

Halloween (2018) Movie Review

2 years ago
New athletic director announced

New athletic director announced

3 years ago

Popular News

  • Snapchat Streaks: fostering friendships or forcing communication?

    Snapchat Streaks: fostering friendships or forcing communication?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Gladwell’s “Outliers” reveals the many factors of success

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Several students test positive for COVID-19 in Goodwin-Kirk Residence Hall

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Drake ranks among Ivy Leagues on Economist list

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Drake Declines to Share Covid Data

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The rise and fall of Motown Records

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Student Perspectives on BLM Protests

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Don’t eat the rich: Argument against Occupy Wall Street ideas

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Student press is essential for letting students’ voices be heard

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • “His personality could fill a room”

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Connect with us

  • About
  • Home
  • Podcasts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Virtual Edition
  • Advertising

Copyright 2015 Fuel Themes. All RIGHTS RESERVED.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Features
    • Greek Life
  • Podcasts
  • Relays Edition
    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Uncategorized
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives
    • Opinion

Copyright 2015 Fuel Themes. All RIGHTS RESERVED.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist