Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Welcome to Minor Planet 134340

Once astronomers make up their mind, they work quick. The Minor Planet Center renamed Pluto and its satellites 134340 and 134340 I, 134340 II, and 134340 III. Other trans-neptunian bodies received their inmate numbers too, but accompanying the assignments was an official announcement:

The MPC also issued a separate announcement stating that the assignment of permanent asteroid numbers to Pluto and other large objects located beyond the orbit of Neptune "does not preclude their having dual designations in possible separate catalogues of such bodies."

This move just cements the IAU vote last month. I don't know about one thing, though: I can't hear 134340 rolling off of Mickey Mouse's tongue as he calls his dog. I guess I just don't like change that much.

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