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Originally Posted by janoskiss
I was thinking along the same lines as Phil. If it is large enough to be naturally close to spherical shape (definition still required here) and orbits the Sun directly (i.e., it is not a moon of a larger body) then it has earned the right to be called a planet.
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In that case, I'm interested to know why you voted for 'other' instead of including all suitably attributed Kuiper belt objects (ie do not exclude them), which is what it seems like you're saying.
I was thinking that if an object is large enough and orbits Sol, then it's a planet. I hesistantly propose that it has to be more or less spherical too - but I hesitate because having whopping huge asteroids classifies as such, while smaller ones are called 'planets' just because their shapes are rounder seems a little picky in some ways.
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Originally Posted by janoskiss
Here is another scenario: What if two bodies orbit each other as well as the Sun but neither is significantly smaller than the other to be called the other one's moon? Are they both planets? Are they both moons? Or say one is a bit smaller but a bit more massive at the same time. Which one is the planet which one is the moon?
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I'd say their both still planets. Are binary stars still called stars?
So, binary planets?