Morning Ed: Space {2018.09.12.W}
[Sp1] A free range exoplanet (borderline brown dwarf?) may be able to teach us about exoplanet magnetic fields and auroras. Speaking of light shows…
[Sp2] If there’s life on Europa, we may not be able to find out for a while.
[Sp3] Commercialize the ISS! Soon you may be able to take an elevator.
[Sp4] A look at what’s in space between galaxies. And other cool stuff.
[Sp5] This seems pretty wicked.
[Sp6] As it expands, the universe disappears. (Well, not really)
[Sp7] The UAE is working to Make Mars Great Again. (Well, inhabitable.) Speaking of Mars, a mystery solved.
[Sp8] Should Pluto’s planetary status get another look?
[Sp9] Keys to unlocking the mysteries of the universe, perhaps, in Antarctica.
Sp7 – I hope Buzzfeed got good money for running that ridiculous piece that they can now put to better use.Report
Really, Buzzfeed? Got some examples?
To be fair, having the UAE join international efforts and contribute to overall goals isn’t a bad thing, and I am certain they have some brilliant minds to add to the mix, but the article makes it sound like the UAE is taking leadership, which it ain’t.Report
Sp8: I am unimpressed, based just on the linked article. They may have a point that when back in 2006 the International Astronomical Union issued its definition of “planet” it made a bogus historical claim about what was then current practice, but I very strongly suspect that this was mere hand-waving all along, and fundamentally beside the point. The real point was that there is no coherent definition that includes Pluto while not including a gazillion other bodies. So Pluto had to go. The proposed definition of a planet as anything that is “large enough that its gravity allows it to become spherical in shape” is already the definition of a dwarf planet, of which there are a gazillion minus eight. So what would this change do? If the argument is that there is no useful distinction between those gazillion dwarf planets and the eight currently-defined planets, then knock yourself out, but be up front about what you are arguing.Report
The really stupid thing was saying “This isn’t a planet… it’s a dwarf planet!”
Had they come up with another name, “Pomme du Cosmos”, say, we could have avoided all kinds of unpleasantness.Report
I’m from the oeuf du soleil faction.Report