Planet
A planet (from Ancient Greek αστήρ πλανήτης (astēr planētēs), meaning "wandering star") is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals. The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science, mythology, and religion. The planets were originally seen by many early cultures as divine, or as emissaries of deities. As scientific knowledge advanced, human perception of the planets changed, incorporating a number of disparate objects. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially adopted a resolution defining planets within the Solar System. This definition has been both praised and criticized, and remains disputed by some scientists since it excludes many objects of planetary mass based on where or what they orbit. While eight of the planetary bodies discovered before 1950 remain "planets" under modern definition, some celestial bodies, such as Ceres, Pallas, Juno, Vesta (each an object in the Solar asteroid belt) and Pluto (the first-discovered trans-Neptunian object), that were once considered planets by the scientific community are no longer viewed as such.
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Some articles on planet:
... Comet Double planet Dwarf planet Extrasolar planet (or Exoplanet) – celestial body outside the Solar System Mesoplanet Minor planet – celestial body smaller than a planet Planetar (astronomy ...
... Bhekar Ro is a fringe planet in Terran space with unpredictable weather ... was colonised by a group of refugees fleeing from the Terran Confederacy, settling on the planet in hope of living independently and self-sustaining ... The only settlement on the planet is Free Haven, built by the first colonists who came to Bhekar Ro to escape from the Terran Confederacy ...
... are the only intelligent life to have evolved on the planet, though the process was enhanced and sped up by the Xel'Naga ... The planet suffered tremendous damage, though with the conflict's resolution the Protoss were able to rebuild and use the planet to expand outwards, colonizing other worlds ... ships built on Aiur and sent to fight on distant planets by traveling through Warp portal buildings constructed on the battlefield ...
... IV, with a small orbital platform for space traffic in orbit of the planet ... Unlike most planets in Terran space, Brontes IV has a more diverse environment, ranging from the typical wastelands of Terran colonies through highly volcanic areas to large jungles ... Several areas of the planet have large valleys rich in mineral deposits ...
... The outer planets are those planets in the Solar System beyond the asteroid belt, and hence refers to the gas giants, which are in order of their distance from the Sun Jupiter is the largest planet in ... Saturn is the second largest planet, with a large and bright ring system ... The outer planets all have ring systems, although all but Saturn's are faint ...
Famous quotes containing the word planet:
“Everywhere—all over Africa and South America ... you see these suburbs springing up. They represent the optimum of what people want. There’s a certain sort of logic leading towards these immaculate suburbs. And they’re terrifying, because they are the death of the soul.... This is the prison this planet is being turned into.”
—J.G. (James Graham)
“What I like, or one of the things I like, about motoring is the sense it gives one of lighting accidentally, like a voyager who touches another planet with the tip of his toe, upon scenes which would have gone on, have always gone on, will go on, unrecorded, save for this chance glimpse. Then it seems to me I am allowed to see the heart of the world uncovered for a moment.”
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)
“The planet on which we live is poorly organized, many areas are overpopulated, others are reserved for a few, technology’s potential is only in part realized, and most people are starving.”
—Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–1990)