Quote:
|
Originally Posted by freddie
Actually one might say now that Mercury is a dwarf planet as well - I'm sure there are many planet like objects in the kuiper's belt which are bigger than Mercury & Pluto combined.
|
Michael Brown, discoverer of 2003 UB313 and supporter of the 8-planet proposal, has published a clear explanation on
his web site (click on The eight planets: an explanation).
It is to be noted that if the original IAU proposal had passed, Michael Brown would have become the discoverer of 15 planets (and probably more as his work is not done), so the man is to be applauded for putting science before his personal glory.
However, he is now the discoverer of the biggest dwarf planet, and he hopes that 2003 UB313 will *at long last* gets its final name very soon now that the planet definition has been revised.