Originally posted by DeepThoughtYeah, saw that. It orbits the sun just like Earth and is just in some kind of sync with Earth but I wouldn't call it a moon.
Yes, but since it is in orbit around the Sun rather than the Earth it is technically not a moon of Earth's. Another case of phys.org sacrificing precision for a nice headline I think.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3753_Cruithne
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Originally posted by DeepThoughtNot to mention that it's pretty old news. QI took gave someone (Alan, presumably) the claxon years and years ago for claiming that the Earth has only one moon, citing Qwuifny as number 2; and then, a couple of years ago, found themselves moved to give them back because it's not actually a moon.
Yes, but since it is in orbit around the Sun rather than the Earth it is technically not a moon of Earth's. Another case of phys.org sacrificing precision for a nice headline I think.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3753_Cruithne
News flash, this just in: Earth has one, count'em, 1, moon - and a whole bargeload of random captured rocks and a few oscillating bodies. But one (one!) proper moon.
Originally posted by coquetteWe're working on it🙂 Don't forget the other dwarf's are Ceres, Eris, Makemake and Haumea. That last one spins about every 4 hours and is about the size of Pluto and has two known moons but the planet is more peanut shaped because of the stretching caused by the rapid spin.
Hey, Pluto is a PLANET! sheesh
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Originally posted by coquettehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto says a lot about of Pluto.
Hey, Pluto is a PLANET! sheesh
The understanding that Pluto is only one of several large icy bodies in the outer Solar System prompted the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to formally define "planet" in 2006. This definition excluded Pluto and reclassified it as a member of the new "dwarf planet" category (and specifically as a plutoid).