Difference between revisions of "Planet"

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A planet is a body which orbits a [[star]]; is in [[hydrostatic]] [[equilibrium]] under it's own mass; and dominates the region of space in which it moves (i.e. the [[gravity]] and rotation of the object have caused it to assume a roughly spherical shape and the region of it's orbit is generally free from other forms of astronomical matter)<ref>http://www.iau.org/iau0603.414.0.html</ref>.
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A '''planet''' is a astronomical body that is in [[orbit]] around a [[star]], has sufficient mass for its own [[gravity]] to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a nearly round shape, and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit <ref>http://www.iau.org/iau0603.414.0.html</ref>.
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The phrase "cleared the neighborhood around its orbit" refers to a body "sweeping out" the area around its orbit as it forms, by causing all other smaller bodies in its orbit to accrete with it. As a consequence it does not then share its orbital region with any other bodies of significant size, except for satellites or those collected later under its gravitational influence.  
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==

Revision as of 14:27, April 6, 2007

A planet is a astronomical body that is in orbit around a star, has sufficient mass for its own gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a nearly round shape, and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit [1].

The phrase "cleared the neighborhood around its orbit" refers to a body "sweeping out" the area around its orbit as it forms, by causing all other smaller bodies in its orbit to accrete with it. As a consequence it does not then share its orbital region with any other bodies of significant size, except for satellites or those collected later under its gravitational influence.

References

  1. http://www.iau.org/iau0603.414.0.html