Pure Pedantry : Planetary Idol: Is Pluto a Planet?

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Jake Young is a MD/PhD student at Mount Sinai School of Medicine focusing in Neuroscience. He is due to graduate in 2032. He received a BS and a MS in Biological Sciences from Stanford University -- where he spent most of his time drinking heavily and building vegetable catapults instead of learning information that would now be eminently useful. When he is not failing terrifically to perform his sworn duties, he enjoys watching bad movies, ethnic food, and running.

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Planetary Idol: Is Pluto a Planet?

Category: Astronomy
Posted on: August 14, 2006 1:37 PM, by Jake Young

Scientists meet in Prague to discuss whether Pluto is a planet:

Nearly 2,500 astronomers from 75 countries gathered in Prague Monday to come up with a universal definition of what qualifies as a planet and possibly decide whether Pluto should keep its planet status.
For decades, the solar system has consisted of nine planets, even as scientists debated whether Pluto really belonged. Then the recent discovery of an object larger and farther away than Pluto threatened to throw this slice of the cosmos into chaos.

Among the possibilities at the 12-day meeting of the International Astronomical Union in the Czech Republic capital: Subtract Pluto or christen one more planet, and possibly dozens more.

But the decision won't be an easy one. Scientists attending the conference are split over whether Pluto should be excluded from the list of planets, Pavel Suchan of the meeting's local organization committee said.

"So far it looks like a stalemate," Suchan said. "One half wants Pluto to remain a planet, the other half says Pluto is not worth being called a planet."

We could do it that way...or we could do a call in vote like American Idol. Ryan Seacrest could host. Various planets could perform, and we could decide the next Planetary Idol.

Frankly, I am up for throwing out a couple more. Like Venus...I don't trust that planet...with all it's methane fog...filled with Commies if you ask me.