An Eclipse, Caught From A Plane.

Milky way

Pluto (bottom image) with various other non-planets.

Since everyone has their knickers in a knot over Pluto not being a planet, here are various different celestial objects who are also not classified as planets. You’ll notice, just because it’s not called a “planet” doesn’t mean it isn’t cool.

Let us be reminded, there is no heirarchy of celestial bodies. It wasn’t necessarily “demoted” from planethood, it was simply reclassified as something else. There’s literally no reason to be emotionally attatched to the idea of Pluto’s planetary classifaction.

But what “classifies” a planet anyway?

According to the International Astronomical Union, there are 3 basic requirements that it must meet: 1) It orbits the sun 2) Sufficient mass to assume a “hydrostatic equilibrium” (meaning it’s mostly shaped like a globe) 3) Has “cleared its neighborhood” in its orbit.

The third one is where Pluto fails. What they mean by “clearing the neighborhood” is that the orbital path is good and clear. Every planet will still collide with something now and then but their orbital paths are not occupied by anything that is similar to the size of the planet itself. They’re not really in danger of running into much of anything except maybe an asteroid or a comet that might enter their path and collide.

In addition, here is an image showcasing the dwarf planets of the solar system. Pluto isn’t alone in it’s classification.

So don’t be sad over Pluto not being a planet, you’re just being melodramatic. Wipe your tears away with some scientific literacy. ;)

Whirlpool Galaxy by Alessandro Falesiedi

js

Orion Nebula taken with:

Optika 650mm-1300mm f/8-16 Cannon T2I 46 half second exposures

Well you're not wrong

true space facts

if u look up there it is

Wow, this is really cool thank you!

ATTN. @ NERDS

Since I am also a nerd and follow NASA on Facebook, I found this. Thought someone might be interested. 

Wow, this is spectacular.

Last night I shot The Leo Triplet. A small group of galaxies about 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. This galaxy group consists of the spiral galaxies M65, M66, and NGC 3628.

NGC 1398 in Fornax.

Source: https://imgur.com/7dzEl2s

NASA created retro travel posters for different locations in our solar system in hopes of inspiring young people to imagine a future where common space travel is a possibility. 

Source