| As we all know, there has been recent speculation of | | | | Mars, on the other hand, isn't so lucky. While the |
| what constitutes a planet and what doesn't. The | | | | question of where the water went looms in all of our |
| target of this mystery was Pluto. Yet the IAU | | | | minds, this desert planet is constantly probed for a |
| (International Astronomical Union) says that a planet | | | | clue. |
| is "a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has | | | | Then we have fifth planet, Jupiter with its active |
| sufficient mass for its self gravity to overcome rigid | | | | atmosphere and wacky magnetic field. Perhaps one |
| body forces so that it assumes a nearly round shape | | | | of these days we can understand it and see why it |
| and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit." | | | | is the angry giant it is, but is it as angry as Saturn? |
| In addition to Earth and its moon Luna, there are | | | | Saturn sports rings that are made of ice and rock |
| eight other planets within our solar system that also | | | | chunks and make the rings of Uranus look like infants. |
| contain their own orbiting satellites, or moons. The | | | | Unfortunately, not as much is known about Saturn |
| first of these planets, and the closest to the sun, is | | | | and Uranus other than Uranus was apparently hit by |
| Mercury. You would think that this planet being so | | | | a very huge object that tilted it on its side. |
| close to the sun would mean the entire thing is rather | | | | Anyway, we now conclude with poor Pluto. This little |
| toasty, but that is not true. Only the side closest to | | | | exile that is more or less a snowball orbiting the sun |
| the sun is the fried side. The side away from the sun | | | | is still the center of debate. Since it has been |
| can actually drop hundreds of degrees below zero. | | | | considered a planet since 1930, everyone is used to |
| The second planet is Venus with its cranky attitude | | | | its existence and many may become distraught at |
| toward the sun. It wants to keep all of the heat to | | | | the fact this little guy may be exiled. Either way, we |
| itself with its thick atmosphere. Therefore the planet | | | | have a very impressive solar system with much |
| is hot all over and full of volcanic activity. It is not like | | | | more research to come. Maybe through long and |
| us here on Earth where temperature is just right and | | | | accurate research Pluto will learn its true fate. |
| everything has a particular balance to support life. | | | | |