To: Robert A. Cook, PE
Other asteroids are already known to have moons, but the asteroids are not generally spherical, they're just irregular chunks of rock. Having a moon would not help. Mercury and Venus are moonless, and until 1978 (I think that's the year) Pluto was believed to be moonless.
71 posted on
02/03/2006 8:54:06 AM PST by
SunkenCiv
(In the long run, there is only the short run.)
To: SunkenCiv
Sure. So Cere's (roughly) spherical shape and a moon (if any are found) would help re-classify it as a planet.
Venus and Mercury are "classic" planets - so they can't be "undesignated" just because they have no moon.
Thus, it wouldn't make sense to Un-designate Pluto (which has a big moon and is spherical) just because another larger planet with a moon is found further out.
85 posted on
02/03/2006 1:31:23 PM PST by
Robert A Cook PE
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