I surfed over to the Wiki homepage, only to find they have named a new dwarf planet. The planet is called Makemake and it is described as being a plutoid. The official definition of a plutoid, according to the International Astronomical Union is:
Plutoids are celestial bodies in orbit around the Sun at a semimajor axis greater than that of Neptune that have sufficient mass for their self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that they assume a hydrostatic equilibrium (near-spherical) shape, and that have not cleared the neighbourhood around their orbit. Satellites of plutoids are not plutoids themselves
Yes, folks, that’s right. They have taken our beloved Pluto and turned it into the word they use to describe non-planet planets.
I do miss the days when Pluto was just a planet. Life was simpler then. Now there are dwarf planets, and plutoids, and who knows what else out there.
And seriously, Makemake? I wanna know who the crap thought, “Oh, I know! Let’s name this new dwarf planet/plutoid something completely different. My 2 year old daughter has a new word. She started saying ‘make make’ last night when she wants us to bake cookies. That is a good name for a non-planet planet, I think. Yes, Makemake.”
“In 2008, in accordance with IAU rules for classical Kuiper belt objects, 2005 FY9 was given the name of a creator deity. The name of Makemake (pronounced ma kay ma kay), the creator of humanity in the mythos of the people of Easter Island,[7] was chosen in part to preserve the object’s connection with Easter.[13]” – from wikiI think I liked your explanation better.
Oh…my…gosh. You know how I feel about Pluto. That totally ticks me off!!!
Nicole and I have decided to start using the word “plutoid” to describe anything strange or unusual.