poor pluto
August 24, 2006
Sometimes I have to laugh at the news headlines. Ratey and I chatted about the ridiculousness of the headlines. I’m sure you’ve seen the headlines:
Pluto Dumped by Astronomers From List of Nine Planets
Pluto Is Demoted to ‘Dwarf Planet’
Pluto a Planet No More
It’s official–Pluto’s out
After 76 years in the club, Pluto is no longer a planet
Astronomers strip Pluto of its planet status
Solar System Shrinks with Pluto’s Demotion
Astronomers demote Pluto
And then there were eight…
Pluto loses ‘battle of the planets’
Fare thee well, Pluto
Pluto booted out of league of planets
Pluto left out in cold in planet realignment
All I can say is thank you to the news media. I want my afterschool special about the planet gone wrong, or the heartwarming tale about the runt of the litter that wasn’t accepted but tried his darndest anyway. Or maybe we need more investigative reporting on how Pluto is faring with this out-and-out rejection by top planetary scientists on a planet 2.66 billion miles away. How will it cope with no longer being in the “in” crowd. I had no idea planets were so clique-y. I am often a little perturbed by the anthropomorphism of animals in the news, but I had no idea we’d bring that attitude to planets as well. My very educated mother just showed us nine planets neglect.
*grins* I’m glad you blogged about it.
The more I think about it, the sadder I am about it. And I too want the story about the little planet whose big brothers and sisters wouldn’t let it be a planet anymore. What does that say for the runt of the litter?
I mean, how many years has pluto been a planet now? It’s like 12 years later telling Rex Haig that he’s no longer a convicted murderer, and yet he’s been in jail for that time. That doesn’t give time back, and this doesn’t change that, for a number of years, Pluto has been a planet.
Universities have honorary degrees. Maybe they should offer Pluto an Planet (Honorary) Degree (PhD) and a squashy hat.
I like your new mnemonic.
I don’t even understand why the orbit changes it’s status. Planets have to have a specific orbit?
No isn’t that snobbish! :P
Interesting! Are you American college students? I find this blog by accident. And by the way, I’m from China.