Toss the dwarf planets!
The International Astronomical Union has reversed its decision from last week and decided that Pluto is NOT a planet after all; but a dwarf planet.
In what many of them described as a triumph of science over sentiment, Pluto was demoted to the status of a âdwarf planet.â
First of all; you just killed the field of astronomy, as children now HATE you, and none of them will be inclined to join your ranks for the forseeable future.
Secondly; If my understanding of English holds here, a 'dwarf planet' would STILL be a planet, as 'planet' is the noun, and 'dwarf' is the modifying adjective on that noun. Therefore a dwarf planet is just a different type of planet, but still a planet.
âThe new definition makes perfect sense in terms of the science we know,â said Alan Boss, a planetary theorist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, adding that it doesnât go too far in cultural terms. âWe have a duty to satisfy the whole world.â
I'm confused. Was the duty to 'good science' or to 'satisfy the whole world'?
How a bunch of astronomers sitting around a hotel lobby drinking cocktails and pairing off to make Uranus jokes constitutes 'good science' I have no clue. Decisions shouldn't be made at conferences.
'Dwarf planet' sounds like a compromise that was intended to please all sides by keeping the word planet and crippling it with a modifier.
Bring Pluto back!
Written by Mike Monteiro on August 24, 2006 | 
2 comments so far. Add yours below.
Byrne Reese says:
Forget astronomy. What about the more far reaching and important astrological impacts. If Pluto is not a planet, then how does that impact my future?
Holy Gods! This changes everything!
August 24, 2006 3:44 PM
President Leechman says:
Astrologers who use more than the five original planets visible to the naked eye ought to be ashamed of themselves. If astrology worked when there were five planets, if astrology works when the constellations aren't even in the zodiac any more, then there's no reason we need more than the five TRUE planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. All this science-based crap is for whiny reality-biased nerds, not real people like us!
September 14, 2006 7:32 PM