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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Nine Planets (?), no waiting...

As this forum gets bigger and more sophisticated, a need arises from time to time to rearrange topics, create boards and trim things down for better access and navigation.

I have created this "Solar System" board to post news and other information regarding our solar system. From Mercury to Sedna and everything else in between. Major explorations of the planets with high interests will remain in their individual boards like the Cassini and Deep Impact mission, but may be moved after the hoopla subsides. Other tidbits will go here.

Enjoy...I know I am!...

[Centaur]

Good. It's understandable that as a board evolves it will become cluttered and in need of reorganization. Your attention to the board is most appreciated, Joe. You're doing a truly fine job. I hope everyone appreciates your dedication. Although I suspect that the term Solor Ratio Novus will not be helpful to many who are browsing the forums. How about Exploration of the Solar Neighborhood or Exploration of the Realm of the Planets?

It should be noted that the term Solar System actually refers to a system for determining the positions of objects which assumes that the Sun is at their center. It did not originally refer to the set of objects themselves, although the term has come to be mistakenly used in that sense. It refers to a theory (also called the Heliocentric System) which is contrary to the Geocentric System.

I would also suggest a separate forum for discussing observations and upcoming alignments (rather than news of exploration) related to objects in the solar neighborhood. It could be called Observing the Solar Neighborhood or Observing the Realm of the Planets. The current forum for Eclipses, etc. could be converted to this purpose. The lunar forum, Tranquility Base, could be brought there as a sub-forum and simply called Lunar Observing. The same could be done with the forums for Solar Observing and Comet & Meteor Observing. Another immensely useful sub-forum could be for Planetary Observing. That one could include observations of asteroids and planetary satellites without a need for separate sub-forums. The discussions of eclipses and various other alignments could then be made within each of these other sub-forums, as appropriate.

Whenever sub-forums are employed, I suggest that no posts be allowed under the main forum heading, otherwise the sub-forum posts will often be overlooked. A more general forum could simply be made into a new sub-forum.

P.S. The startling effect of that animation of a Mars sized object circling the Earth rapidly in retrograde motion at low altitude is terribly distracting when I try to read a post placed just under it.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

All excellent suggestions. I will examine these over the weekend and see what developes.

Thanks for the ideas...