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Old 22-02-2007, 05:59 PM
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Chrissyo (Chris)
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Chrissyo is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Sunshine Coast, Australia
Posts: 410
Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteMo View Post
I'm still puzzled by the new definition of a planet about 'clearing everything else from its orbit' that was applied to Pluto, yet overlooked regarding Jupiter. Since Jupiter has not cleared the Trojan Asteroids from its orbital path, the new definition can be interpreted that Jupiter is not a planet either.
When it comes to the new definition, I think the way to look at that section isn't 'clearing everything else from its orbit' more so than 'the object should be the dominant force in the orbit'. Pluto doesn't fit because its got Charon right there with it playing the mutual gravity game. However in the case of the Trojan Asteroids, they are only there because Jupiter is. They make use of its Lagrangian points.

I believe there are many different types of small asteroid/meteroid systems that exisit in our solar system that make use of other planets gravitational influence to exist in their orbits. Thats the point of the 'dominant body' idea for planetary status I guess.
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