This is cool

[owly]

It looks like those 2 Dwarf Planets that Kepler is
going to orbit soon and have atmospheres!!

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/sc ... 4may_dawn/

They're called "Ceres" and "Vesta" and are about the
size of the now demoted Dwarf Planet "Pluto"!!!

[MoP]

Yup, and this guy got lucky:

[Droevig]

I debate whether or not they can be considered "planets" in any sense of the word, as they are asteroids. Asteroid with an atmosphere fine, but still an asteroid.

Btw the only thing I could think of while reading this is when Han Solo and co. land in the "cave" on that asteroid and find out it's a WORM

btw MoP: I love that the dude just bikes right on by after the accident.

[Gerien]

I read nothing about atmospheres. That story is about the use of an ion drive in lieu of heavier chemical propellants.

[owly]

i read somewhere about atmospheres for those two planets maybe it was in another web page i'll look and see if i can find it........

[Mickal Redwater]

Obviously you want me to post, otherwise why put something like this up

There is most likely a very weak atmosphere on Ceres (as there probably is on Pluto), also water for sure (most stuff out there has ice.... some could even have liquid water down lower, depends on the composition (there could be ammonia) and other stuffs.

As for you your whole "can they be called planets" thing, this is always the first question my students ask me when i let them ask whatever they want. "why is pluto not a planet" and its the same argument for why ceres and vesta are 'dwarf planets.' The word planet is only SEMANTICS. It comes down to society, society views, and history. We call them planets because thats what they were classified when they were discovered. It comes from the term "wandering star" in greek. Basically, they don't move like the stars.
By this classification then everything that is in our solar system (minus the sun) is a planet. Of course we keep defining it more. When astronomers voted on this like 5-6 years ago, it was like 90% agreement to make this change, because it made sense. In my opinion, we only keep it THIS way, because its easier for kids to remember.

There is very little different between Ceres and Pluto. If you wanna get technical, the reason you shouldn't call it 'planet' like the other 8, is because of where it came from and how it was formed. Its only called a Dwarf Planet to distinguish it from the other asteroids because it is big. Difference between an Asteroid and a Dwarf Planet is mostly just size (sometime orbit too, but size is the big one). Hell, at some point in history Pluto was probably an asteroid just like the rest (from the Kuiper Belt, not the main asteroid belt).

Also, lots of things may have small atmopsheres. anything big enough to retain some atmosphere, most likely will. Just remember that we're talking 1/10th that of Mars, if not more, and Mars has very little atmosphere. (Hell, i've heard people in my department talk about the atmosphere of Mercury. Imagine THAT.)

[Gerien]

Just "wanderer"", actually.

[Droevig]

wasn't Pluto's status changed becauseorbits Neptune like a moon? (forgive me if I'm wrong it HAS been a while) But I remember learning that Pluto changed places with Neptune every (5?) so many years. Eventually they discovered this was because of the gravitational pull of Neptune in relation to Pluto therefore making Pluto orbit Neptune like a moon (Isn't the largest moon surrounding Jupiter also close to pluto in size?)

[Grunt]

I was under the impression that it actually crossed the orbit of another planet
I am sure it is not a moon of Neptune tho
As always I defer to Dr Mickal on this subject

[owly]

That's what i'm waiting on too Grunt

either that or i stick my foot in my mouth

[Immigrant]

great links and as they said, 'fascinating' stuff!
..and MoP you're getting up there with Owly - where do you guys find this stuff? lol

as usual, can always count on this group to introduce me to things I'd probably never hear of or see otherwise