3063: Planet Definitions - Revision history

74.114.84.109 at 20:50, 17 March 2026

2026-03-17T20:50:53Z

74.114.84.109 at 20:50, 17 March 2026

2026-03-17T20:50:14Z

81.179.199.253: /* Explanation / The table says 6, the image indicates seven. Added "Actual [Sic]" and emphasised the description of seven* items being illustrated as such.

2026-02-19T19:22:21Z

‎Explanation: The table says 6, the image indicates seven. Added "Actual [Sic]" and emphasised the description of *seven* items being illustrated as such.

Rumbling7145: /* Explanation */

2026-02-19T14:49:47Z

‎Explanation

2A01:CB15:824D:FF00:5C0F:4AC8:B4CA:8C8E: /* Transcript */ removed a repeated "the"

2025-07-27T15:04:22Z

‎Transcript: removed a repeated "the"

FaviFake: complete

2025-06-16T14:24:48Z

complete

172.70.86.115: /* Explanation */

2025-05-22T12:08:36Z

‎Explanation

162.158.162.111: /* Explanation */

2025-05-22T03:30:13Z

‎Explanation

172.70.147.124: /* Explanation */

2025-05-22T03:25:49Z

‎Explanation

172.70.147.125 at 03:24, 22 May 2025

2025-05-22T03:24:33Z

@@ Line 96: / Line 96: @@
 | Only objects with oceans are planets
 | align=center | 6+
-| This list includes {{w|Earth}}, {{w|Europa (moon)|Europa}}, {{w|Ganymede (moon)|Ganymede}}, {{w|Callisto (moon)|Callisto}}, {{w|Titan (moon)|Tian}} and {{w|Enceladus}}. These have had the presence of significant liquid identified from measurements of their magnetic/electric fields, but see the "Maritime" entry.
+| This list includes {{w|Earth}}, {{w|Europa (moon)|Europa}}, {{w|Ganymede (moon)|Ganymede}}, {{w|Callisto (moon)|Callisto}}, {{w|Titan (moon)|Titan}} and {{w|Enceladus}}. These have had the presence of significant liquid identified from measurements of their magnetic/electric fields, but see the "Maritime" entry.
 There is a resemblance, here, to a loose understanding of what a "world" is, i.e., one that possesses various distinct 'terrains' beyond mere dry (and possibly considered featureless) rock. A marine biologist would, of course consider a marine (if not pelagic or bathyspheric) environment to be an essential element of any world.
 |-
@@ Line 102: / Line 102: @@
 | Only objects with ''surface'' oceans are planets
 | align=center | 2
-| In the comic, only {{w|Earth}} and {{w|Titan (moon)|Tian}} are highlighted. Earth is the only body known in the solar system to have liquid water on the surface significant enough to be called an ocean. Titan's cold and dense atmosphere notably maintains surface 'seas' of methane and nitrogen, while other moons (given as additional in the prior item) seem to have their liquid water beneath either whole-surface ice caps or otherwise deep under the surface.
+| In the comic, only {{w|Earth}} and {{w|Titan (moon)|Titan}} are highlighted. Earth is the only body known in the solar system to have liquid water on the surface significant enough to be called an ocean. Titan's cold and dense atmosphere notably maintains surface 'seas' of methane and nitrogen, while other moons (given as additional in the prior item) seem to have their liquid water beneath either whole-surface ice caps or otherwise deep under the surface.
 From the narrower point of view of a sailor, for example, there is no benefit in considering water hidden away far beneath the surface, and it might as well not be there. In contrast, it's possible that a well-prepared mariner could sail the strange seas of Titan, as easily as (or easier than) {{w|Dragonfly (Titan space probe)|an aircraft}} might fly through {{what if|30|its skies}}.
 |-

@@ Line 96: / Line 96: @@
 | Only objects with oceans are planets
 | align=center | 6+
-| This list includes Earth, {{w|Europa (moon)|Europa}}, {{w|Ganymede (moon)|Ganymede}}, {{w|Callisto (moon)|Callisto}}, Titan and {{w|Enceladus}}. These have had the presence of significant liquid identified from measurements of their magnetic/electric fields, but see the "Maritime" entry.
+| This list includes {{w|Earth}}, {{w|Europa (moon)|Europa}}, {{w|Ganymede (moon)|Ganymede}}, {{w|Callisto (moon)|Callisto}}, {{w|Titan (moon)|Tian}} and {{w|Enceladus}}. These have had the presence of significant liquid identified from measurements of their magnetic/electric fields, but see the "Maritime" entry.
 There is a resemblance, here, to a loose understanding of what a "world" is, i.e., one that possesses various distinct 'terrains' beyond mere dry (and possibly considered featureless) rock. A marine biologist would, of course consider a marine (if not pelagic or bathyspheric) environment to be an essential element of any world.
 |-
@@ Line 102: / Line 102: @@
 | Only objects with ''surface'' oceans are planets
 | align=center | 2
-| In the comic, only Earth and Titan are highlighted. Earth is the only body known in the solar system to have liquid water on the surface significant enough to be called an ocean. Titan's cold and dense atmosphere notably maintains surface 'seas' of methane and nitrogen, while other moons (given as additional in the prior item) seem to have their liquid water beneath either whole-surface ice caps or otherwise deep under the surface.
+| In the comic, only {{w|Earth}} and {{w|Titan (moon)|Tian}} are highlighted. Earth is the only body known in the solar system to have liquid water on the surface significant enough to be called an ocean. Titan's cold and dense atmosphere notably maintains surface 'seas' of methane and nitrogen, while other moons (given as additional in the prior item) seem to have their liquid water beneath either whole-surface ice caps or otherwise deep under the surface.
 From the narrower point of view of a sailor, for example, there is no benefit in considering water hidden away far beneath the surface, and it might as well not be there. In contrast, it's possible that a well-prepared mariner could sail the strange seas of Titan, as easily as (or easier than) {{w|Dragonfly (Titan space probe)|an aircraft}} might fly through {{what if|30|its skies}}.
 |-

@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
 ! Judgemental
 | Only the prettiest ones are planets
-| align=center | 7
+| align=center | 6{{asic}}
-| This list is likely formulated from Randall's own perception of the prettiest planets in the Solar System. Seven objects are highlighted: Earth, Jupiter, one of Jupiter's moons (likely {{w|Europa (moon)|Europa}}, based on [[1547: Solar System Questions]]), Saturn, one of Saturn's moons (possibly Iapetus or Phoebe), {{w|Triton (moon)|Triton}} and Pluto.
+| This list is likely formulated from Randall's own perception of the prettiest planets in the Solar System. ''Seven'' objects are highlighted: Earth, Jupiter, one of Jupiter's moons (likely {{w|Europa (moon)|Europa}}, based on [[1547: Solar System Questions]]), Saturn, one of Saturn's moons (possibly Iapetus or Phoebe), {{w|Triton (moon)|Triton}} and Pluto.
 The subjectivity of this version of the definition makes it unlikely that a consensus of this form could be established.
 |-

@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
 ! Judgemental
 | Only the prettiest ones are planets
-| align=center | 6
+| align=center | 7
 | This list is likely formulated from Randall's own perception of the prettiest planets in the Solar System. Seven objects are highlighted: Earth, Jupiter, one of Jupiter's moons (likely {{w|Europa (moon)|Europa}}, based on [[1547: Solar System Questions]]), Saturn, one of Saturn's moons (possibly Iapetus or Phoebe), {{w|Triton (moon)|Triton}} and Pluto.
 The subjectivity of this version of the definition makes it unlikely that a consensus of this form could be established.

@@ Line 131: / Line 131: @@
 ==Transcript==
-:[A table with 3 columns, and 17 rows below the the header row, labelled "Definition", "# of planets" and "Solar system".]
+:[A table with 3 columns, and 17 rows below the header row, labelled "Definition", "# of planets" and "Solar system".]
 :[In each row, the first column has a single word, in bold, then a descriptive sentence. The second column has a digit or other 'value'. The third column is a not-to-scale drawing of the Solar system, featuring the Sun, various 'planetary' bodies and an apparently selective sample of moons and asteroids, as follows: The Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth with the Moon, Mars with its two moons (Phobos and Deimos), a small selection of some asteroid belt bodies (Ceres in the midst of other, smaller, examples), Jupiter and four of its moons (likely the Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto), a ringed Saturn and usually one of its moons (probably Titan) or two (possibly Enceladus or Iapetus, as required), Uranus and four or five of its moons (likely to be Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon, but one of these (shown upon the face of Uranus) only appears in some iterations of the base image), Neptune and one of its moons (probably Triton), Pluto and one of its moons (Charon, the main companion body possibly considered as fellow twin-dwarf instead), four more plutoid or Kuiper Belt objects (too little context to identify, but possibly Haumea, Makemake, Eris and Sedna, in distance order), the first two of them with distinct moons/companions indicated (the exact identities entirely dependent upon which main objects they are partnering).]
 :[Each row's illustrated solar system has individual combinations of green highlights applied to the otherwise repeated diagram.]

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 ==Explanation==
-{{incomplete|The first paragraph is too complex and doesn't directly address the comic.}}
+This comic addresses the {{w|IAU definition of planet|controversy of whether of Pluto is a planet}} and explores many definitions, most of them humorous and nonsensical, of what a planet could be.
 {| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto"
@@ Line 20: / Line 18: @@
 | {{w|Pluto}} is a planet
 | align=center | 9
-| Until 2006, there was {{w|IAU definition of planet#Background|no official definition of a "planet"}}, but most people considered there to be nine, including Pluto, which was discovered in 1930. As astronomy advanced and larger objects like {{w|Eris (dwarf planet)|Eris}} were found, the {{w|International Astronomical Union}} redefined a planet as something that clears its orbit — disqualifying Pluto and Eris, now called "{{w|dwarf planets}}". This upset many who grew up learning Pluto was the ninth planet. Ironically, scientists are now searching for a new {{w|Planet Nine}}, which could again challenge the current definition.
+| Until 2006, there was {{w|IAU definition of planet#Background|no official definition of a "planet"}}, but most people considered there to be nine, including Pluto, which was discovered in 1930. As astronomy advanced and larger objects like {{w|Eris (dwarf planet)|Eris}} were found, the {{w|International Astronomical Union}} redefined a planet as something that clears its orbit — disqualifying Pluto and Eris, now called "{{w|dwarf planets}}". This upset many who grew up learning Pluto was the ninth planet. Ironically, scientists are now searching for a new {{w|Planet Nine}}, which could again challenge the current definition. The 2006 redefinition of Pluto as a dwarf planet is a common theme on xkcd, occurring also in [[473: Still Raw]], [[482: Height]], [[1020: Orion Nebula]], [[1093: Forget]], [[1458: Small Moon]], [[1551: Pluto]], and [[1555: Exoplanet Names 2]].
 |-
 ! Modern

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 | {{w|Pluto}} is a planet
 | align=center | 9
-| Until 2006, there was {{w|IAU definition of planet#Background|no official definition of a "planet"}}, but most people considered there to be nine, including Pluto, which was discovered in 1930. As astronomy advanced and larger objects like {{w|Eris (dwarf planet)|Eris}} were found, the {{w|International Astronomical Union}} redefined a planet as something that clears its orbit—disqualifying Pluto and Eris, now called "{{w|dwarf planets}}". This upset many who grew up learning Pluto was the ninth planet. Ironically, scientists are now searching for a new {{w|Planet Nine}}, which could again challenge the current definition.
+| Until 2006, there was {{w|IAU definition of planet#Background|no official definition of a "planet"}}, but most people considered there to be nine, including Pluto, which was discovered in 1930. As astronomy advanced and larger objects like {{w|Eris (dwarf planet)|Eris}} were found, the {{w|International Astronomical Union}} redefined a planet as something that clears its orbit — disqualifying Pluto and Eris, now called "{{w|dwarf planets}}". This upset many who grew up learning Pluto was the ninth planet. Ironically, scientists are now searching for a new {{w|Planet Nine}}, which could again challenge the current definition.
 |-
 ! Modern
@@ Line 115: / Line 115: @@
 | What if {{w|outer space|space}} ''itself'' is a planet???
 | align=center | ''Duude''
-| This list is different from the list above as it claims that all of space, rather than only the objects existing in space, are planets. The interjection ''Duude'' expresses one's amazement at this 'revelation' and replaces the number count— and is sometimes used to imply [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=duuuude the speaker is high] on marijuana or other mind-altering drugs.
+| This list is different from the list above as it claims that all of space, rather than only the objects existing in space, are planets. The interjection ''Duude'' expresses one's amazement at this 'revelation' and replaces the number count — and is sometimes used to imply [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=duuuude the speaker is high] on marijuana or other mind-altering drugs.
 The strange stretch of imagination, as prompted by some narcotic or other, abandons all pretense at sensibly sorting everything into "planet" or "not planet", as not only is everything a planet, but so is the nothing ''between'' these titular planets. However, the more serious subject of {{w|black hole cosmology}} holds the view that the observable universe is the interior of a black hole.
 |-

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:30, 22 May 2025
Line 13:		Line 13:

	This comic addresses the {{w\|IAU definition of planet\|controversy of whether of Pluto is a planet}} and explores many definitions, most of them humorous and nonsensical, of what a planet could be. The 2006 redefinition of Pluto as a dwarf planet is a common theme on xkcd, occurring also in [[473: Still Raw]], [[482: Height]], [[1020: Orion Nebula]], [[1093: Forget]], [[1458: Small Moon]], [[1551: Pluto]] and [[1555: Exoplanet Names 2]].		This comic addresses the {{w\|IAU definition of planet\|controversy of whether of Pluto is a planet}} and explores many definitions, most of them humorous and nonsensical, of what a planet could be. The 2006 redefinition of Pluto as a dwarf planet is a common theme on xkcd, occurring also in [[473: Still Raw]], [[482: Height]], [[1020: Orion Nebula]], [[1093: Forget]], [[1458: Small Moon]], [[1551: Pluto]] and [[1555: Exoplanet Names 2]].
−

	{\| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto"		{\| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto"

3063: Planet Definitions - Revision history

74.114.84.109 at 20:50, 17 March 2026

74.114.84.109 at 20:50, 17 March 2026

81.179.199.253: /* Explanation */ The table says 6, the image indicates seven. Added "Actual [Sic]" and emphasised the description of *seven* items being illustrated as such.

Rumbling7145: /* Explanation */

2A01:CB15:824D:FF00:5C0F:4AC8:B4CA:8C8E: /* Transcript */ removed a repeated "the"

FaviFake: complete

172.70.86.115: /* Explanation */

162.158.162.111: /* Explanation */

172.70.147.124: /* Explanation */

172.70.147.125 at 03:24, 22 May 2025

81.179.199.253: /* Explanation / The table says 6, the image indicates seven. Added "Actual [Sic]" and emphasised the description of seven* items being illustrated as such.