Apparently Pluto is no longer officially a planet. I'm not really sure that I care, however. Pluto has been labeled a planet for far longer than I've been alive, for several generations of school-children. I think that what one person said after 2003 UB313 was discovered is true--that planet is more than merely an astronomical definition, it is a cultural word. Planet really means what we as a culture use it to mean. I might change my science fiction writings to correspond with this "development," or I might "have it overturned" in the future. ;-) For the time being my instinct is to ignore the pronouncement and still talk about our solar system of nine planets.
What do you think?
~Matt
4 comments:
Hey, what's up with the forum? whenever I try to go to it, it just isn't there...
'Tis down for maintenance. I haven't been able to reach Dusty to find out what is taking so long...
What, some talking heads in shirts at some think tank change the definition and we are all supposed to change our glow-in-the-dark displays on our ceilings? Do we use white-out on that part of our Solar Quest games? One Styrofoam ball gets cut out of our 6th grade models we made? Disney has to rename the dog? Those guys are way too snobby and self-important to my liking. (Kate wants to know if that makes Charon a dwarf moon.) If they redefine a little more, maybe we can have seven dwarves instead of nine planets in our solar system.
Meh.
LOL...okay, I'm also coughing because of my cold, but I'm definately laughing out loud. Great sentiments.
I actually liked the initial idea better--make Ceres (first asteroid discovered, and considered a planet until the breadth of the asteroid belt was realized), Pluto, Charon, and 2003 UB313 dwarf planets--but still planets. It would have kept eight "major planets" and increased the number of planets. Methinks more is easier to deal with rather than less.
*shrugs* I guess I'll never make it with international astronomers. Drat, and I was so hoping to use them to take over the world. I guess I'll have to think up another plan by tomorrow night.
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