What the...? Pluto no longer a planet!

I wonder, is this now a "Global" rule or just in the US? what I mean is, do yall in the UK,Ireland,Asia etc.... Also now NOT consider Pluto a planet? and by "yall" I guess I mean scientists and the general public alike.

Hi Tex~

This convention was in Prague and had some 2,500 delegates from all nations. It is a global thing as far as astronomers are concerned.

As far as the public are concerned..............hell, they don't even give a rodent's rectum about major social and environmental issues? :eek: I doubt if even 10% are even aware, let alone remotely interested.

The only people it might impact upon are astrologers............ as it would affect horoscopes and such. However as the damn thing was only discovered in 1930, they obviously have some capacity for flexibility :D

Actually, they haven't said that it is NOT a planet, just that it isn't a regular planet. That sort of locks out the "wannabes" that are out there.

Nihil: You may be right, I don't know, but I guarentee you textbooks for young people (i.e. mainly below high school, particularly elementary school/primary school, whatever its called) still have the solar system in class rooms, are taught that pluto is indeed a planet, etc.

I noticed on the news that they had 'Xena' on their diagrams as well, but only talked about pluto. Is there any notice on its planetary status? I'm assuming it's just another reject dwarf like Pluto?

Hi Evil Moo, I think that the issue was they didn't want to include several other objects that would seem to have similar claims to planethood as Pluto.

Do not forget that this is an arbitrary decision by academics, it actually has no empirical scientific basis. There was a strong movement in favour of increasing the number of planets to 12, but this would have left the game open to future "discoveries" ;)

er0k, I think that the answer will be that they will leave things in junior school. You are not taught the "facts" in junior school anyways, just simplified versions.

Like water turns to steam at 212F/100C. They don't mention the effects of pressure which permit the existence of superheated steam, and water below 32F/0C.

Similarly, in Enlish Language you are taught that the vowels are: A, E, I, O, U? it is only later that you learn that "Y" is actually a pseudo-vowel.............................. perhaps Pluto should be renamed "Planet Y"? :D

Hey Hey,

The blog @ http://www.tenthplanet.info/ may be of interest to you EvilMoo. It clears up the whole 'Xena' thing... they follow the proposed definition going up to the conference and all the info coming out of it.

Peace,
HT