pluton

[Baker, John]

        From Ron Cowen, "Plutos galore: ice dwarfs may dominate the
solar system's planetary population," Science News (Sept. 21, 1991) (via
Westlaw):

        <<"There's really no adequate theory for the formation of Uranus
and Neptune, and I really can't see how one can speak too intelligently
about Triton and Pluto and these 1,000 'Plutons' without some framework
for the whole origin of that part of the solar system," says George W.
Wetherill of the Carnegie Institution of Washington (D.C.)>>

        The article discusses a theory that there are some 1,000 other
ice-covered planets that orbit the sun with a size, mass and chilly
surface similar to Pluto.  Except for this one reference, they are
referred to as "Plutos."


John Baker



-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
Of Mullins, Bill AMRDEC
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2006 1:59 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: pluton

Title: Determination of Masses of Mercury and Venus from Observations of
Five Minor Planets
Authors: Sitarski, G.
Journal: Acta Astronomica, v.45, pp.665-672, (1995). (cite from p. 665)
"It is the known case of Pluto that its mass was overestimated until the
Pluton's moon, Charon, was discovered in 1978."


> Well, besides that 1996 Usenet post, "pluton" (in the relevant sense)
> has been kicking around in the English-language press since at least
> 1997:
>
> 1997 _Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch_ 8 June 7B (Factiva/Nexis) Some
> astronomers have taken to calling these Plutolike objects ice dwarfs.
> Personally, I prefer Plutons. Poor Pluto has taken its lumps lately,
> and deserves some sort of recognition. So Pluto is a comet, a Kuiper
> Belt object, an ice dwarf or a Pluton. Take your pick.
> [From a column by astronomer Tom Burns.]
>
>
>

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