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dwarf planet

vr.tr.dwarf-planet · thing-q2199

Let an agent handle dwarf planets by name, orbit, size and classification status, with IAU definitions and sourced data.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.SPC
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Classification Is it a dwarf planet.

Criteria

IAU definition.

Criteria

Criteria.

  1. Does the body meet the IAU criteria? boundary
  2. Is it officially recognised or a candidate? provenance

Debate

Planet status.

Debate

Debate.

  1. What are the arguments about the definition? provenance
  2. Is the account balanced? boundary
Body Properties.

Size

Diameter and mass.

Size

Size and mass.

  1. What are its diameter and mass? measurement
  2. From which mission or study? provenance

Surface

Composition.

Surface

Surface.

  1. What is its surface made of? measurement
  2. Does it have an atmosphere? definition
Orbit Where it moves.

Elements

Orbit data.

Elements

Orbital elements.

  1. What are its orbital period and distance? measurement
  2. From which ephemeris? provenance

Moons

Satellites.

Moons

Moons.

  1. Does it have moons? provenance
  2. Which ones? provenance
Exploration Missions.

Missions

Spacecraft.

Missions

Missions.

  1. Which spacecraft have visited it? provenance
  2. What did they find? provenance

Observing

From Earth.

Observing

Observing.

  1. Can amateurs observe it? boundary
  2. With what equipment? definition

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.SPC
Other names and narrower kinds
plutoid

What it is Filled

A celestial body that orbits the Sun, has enough mass to be nearly round, but has not cleared its orbital neighbourhood and is not a satellite; recognised examples include Pluto, Eris, Ceres, Haumea and Makemake.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent handle dwarf planets by name, orbit, size and classification status, with IAU definitions and sourced data.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Round from self-gravity
  • Has not cleared its orbit
  • Orbits the Sun directly
  • Many candidates remain unconfirmed

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Present a body as a recognised dwarf planet when it is not.
  • Sell naming rights to a celestial body as if they were official.
  • Misrepresent the classification debate as settled beyond what the official definition says.

Only with a human decision

  • Publishing names or classifications of newly found bodies.

May

  • Report dwarf planets and their properties from official astronomical sources.
  • Explain how dwarf planets differ from planets under the official definition.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Public understanding of science suffers when classifications are misstated.

Who is affected

  • Students and the public
  • Astronomers

Owners Filled

Steward

Nobody owns them; the international astronomical union governs names and classification.

Master systems

  • Minor planet and small-body catalogues

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q1022867 - registry parent class
  • Q400144 - registry parent class

related

  • minor planet and planetary-mass object - category
  • IAU 2006 resolution - standard
  • Sun - primary
  • planet - classification

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.dwarf-planet
  • Wikidata: Q2199 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2199)
  • minor planet number: MPC number Minor Planet Center

Direct properties required Filled

  • Pluto diameter: about 2377 km
  • Ceres diameter: about 940 km

Recognition required Filled

  • IAU-recognised names
  • Minor planet numbers such as 134340 Pluto
  • Plutoids are trans-Neptunian dwarf planets
  • Small round worlds, icy or rocky.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • classify bodies under IAU rules
  • study orbits and physical properties
  • follow missions such as New Horizons and Dawn
  • observe the brighter ones with telescopes

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Stating candidates as confirmed
  • Partisan framing of the Pluto debate

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • IAU Resolution B5 (2006)

Context of use required Filled

  • A classification in planetary science.
  • plutoids (trans-Neptunian dwarf planets)
  • Ceres in the asteroid belt
  • candidate dwarf planets

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q2199: dwarf planet - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Dwarf planet - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should candidates be separate entries?
  • How should classification debates be represented?
  • How should mission data be linked?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q2199/spec.json