The New Horizons probe set for Pluto is scheduled to launch in January.

A disc inscribed with Your name, shall you register it, will be on board so this might be a cool way to send your character in space for real!



You can add yours from here: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/ecard/

(And yes, I've added my real name, those of my kids and my wife.)

Cool, although your name isn't so much "inscribed" as encoded on that CD.

If you look very close you'll see it inscribed... but you're technically right.

I just wish the certificate had a Valk on it though.

I vote for the People Front of Pluto Is Not a Planet, so I guess I'll pass. ;)

yea, and its not the last planet anymore either.

im in space! arr!!!

Margoh: I thought the US voted Pluto a planet years ago. Am I wrong?

Spell: is there a new planet further out? I thought there were only "planetoids" out further.

Well, the new "planetoid" is larger than Pluto so it makes it a ratter good contender.

As far as I'm concerned, a planet should hold an atmosphere and orbit a star. So, some Saturn and Juperter moons that may have atmosphere are still just moons (and so's Endor dangit).

Pluto, with a diameter of 2274 km and an eccentric orbit, would easily qualify for a big asteroid or a comet. Since the planet status of Pluto is highly debatable, almost a historical glitch, lone rocks even further out probably don't merit to be called planets anymore.

JB : planets can't be "voted" in or out of the island. What people need is a clear definition (which is what it boils down to : definitions) what they are. At the moment, there is none.

Margoth : Pluto is [EDIT : NOT, I can't do logic...] an asteroid or comet (unlike planets, the definitions for asteroids or comets are clearer), but is certainly one of the Kuiper Belt objects. Pluto is also not a "lone rock" : it has a moon Charon which has a diameter half of pluto. Also, Pluto also has an atmosphere, and probably surface activity as well. The closest thing planetary scientists think is like Pluto is the Neptunian moon Triton.

Mgl_mouse : your definition will rule out mercury as a planet...

Finally, the name of the probe is not New Horizons. NH is the name of the program which the Pluto Express (I believe this is the current name for it, until they figured out a more catchy one) is being funded on.

/me is an astrophysicist and has built spacecraft for a living, and cannot resist doing some science outreach.

If I don't give out my name to strangers, I'm certainly not sending it out on a probe so aliens can acquire it!

/me puts lebermac on the disc

I think the aliens may already have a probe with your name on it.

;)

That was really bad and most certainly not in good taste, FM...

Any fans of BlackAdder here?

Blackadder: Baldrick, what are you doing out there?

Baldrick: I'm carving something on this bullet, sir.

Blackadder: What are you carving?

Baldrick: I'm carving "Baldrick," sir.

Blackadder: Why?

Baldrick: It's a cunning plan, actually.

Blackadder: Of course it is.

Baldrick: You see, you know they say that somewhere there's a bullet with your name on it?

Blackadder: Yes?

Baldrick: Well, I thought if I owned the bullet with my name on it, I'd never get hit by it, 'cause I won't ever shoot myself.

Blackadder: Oh? A shame.

Beolach: But what about the pople who are shot multiple times?

Burned by FM! oh, the shame!!!

*runs away crying in shame*

"That was really bad and most certainly not in good taste, FM..."

No, you just broke your funny-bone. Ninny.

wonder if they'd accept me?

kernel.panic

the aliens would be reading the list, and go "HA, they get 'em too"