Comments on: How They Trailed a New Planet (Jun, 1930) http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:19:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Laurel Kornfeld http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-1080169 Laurel Kornfeld Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:30:21 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/#comment-1080169 Pluto has always been and will always be a planet, as it orbits the Sun and is large enough for its gravity to pull it into a spherical shape, a state known as hydrostatic equilibrium. The controversial IAU demotion was done by only four percent of its members, most of whom are not planetary scientists, and it was rejected by hundreds of professional astronomers in a formal petition led by New Horizons Principal Investigator Dr. Alan Stern. The article does contain a factual error that should have been caught at the time it was written. Uranus was discovered not by John Herschel, but by his father, William Herschel, in 1781. Pluto has always been and will always be a planet, as it orbits the Sun and is large enough for its gravity to pull it into a spherical shape, a state known as hydrostatic equilibrium. The controversial IAU demotion was done by only four percent of its members, most of whom are not planetary scientists, and it was rejected by hundreds of professional astronomers in a formal petition led by New Horizons Principal Investigator Dr. Alan Stern.

The article does contain a factual error that should have been caught at the time it was written. Uranus was discovered not by John Herschel, but by his father, William Herschel, in 1781.

]]> By: NikFromNYC http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-1014293 NikFromNYC Sat, 12 Jan 2008 03:41:49 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/#comment-1014293 Commenting on dope due to an article on Pluto? Uh, put down the syringe. Commenting on dope due to an article on Pluto? Uh, put down the syringe.

]]> By: Stannous http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-976375 Stannous Mon, 31 Dec 2007 04:27:22 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/#comment-976375 I think that 2 million stoned Americans kind of explains Amos 'n Andy (and the Three Stooges too) right there. I think that 2 million stoned Americans kind of explains Amos ‘n Andy (and the Three Stooges too) right there.

]]> By: Blurgle http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-975968 Blurgle Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:05:09 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/#comment-975968 It's common these days to believe that "dope fiends" are a creation of the supposed post-war "permissive society". But illegal cocaine and heroin use was a major problem in the 20s and 30s, albeit one the media used to ignore because it wasn't thought fit for family newspapers. The prewar period also had high crime rates, massive amounts of domestic violence, and a healthy share of serial killers. We think these things are modern only because we don't know much about the old days. It’s common these days to believe that “dope fiends” are a creation of the supposed post-war “permissive society”. But illegal cocaine and heroin use was a major problem in the 20s and 30s, albeit one the media used to ignore because it wasn’t thought fit for family newspapers. The prewar period also had high crime rates, massive amounts of domestic violence, and a healthy share of serial killers.

We think these things are modern only because we don’t know much about the old days.

]]> By: Charlie http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-975161 Charlie Sun, 30 Dec 2007 20:45:58 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/#comment-975161 I have both of those scanned, I'll try to get them in the queue. I have both of those scanned, I’ll try to get them in the queue.

]]> By: Rick Auricchio http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-974839 Rick Auricchio Sun, 30 Dec 2007 17:52:09 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/#comment-974839 "...the great telescopes...swung on their massive trunnions..." That sounds vaguely pornographic. “…the great telescopes…swung on their massive trunnions…”

That sounds vaguely pornographic.

]]> By: jayessell http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-974352 jayessell Sun, 30 Dec 2007 14:04:55 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/#comment-974352 Charley, from the cover... Amos and Andy Explained? I'd like to see that. Also... 2 million American dope fiends? Is Coca-cola mentioned? About Pluto... I think Mickey Mouse didn't have a dog yet. Charley, from the cover…

Amos and Andy Explained?
I’d like to see that.

Also…
2 million American dope fiends?
Is Coca-cola mentioned?

About Pluto…
I think Mickey Mouse didn’t have a dog yet.

]]> By: Bill Jenkins http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-974019 Bill Jenkins Sun, 30 Dec 2007 11:15:21 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/12/30/how-they-trailed-a-new-planet/#comment-974019 So it was only a planet for 75 years? Damn, thats cold. So it was only a planet for 75 years?

Damn, thats cold.

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