Goodbye, Pluto

[DOXXP29 5]

Pluto has now been demoted from planet status, so we now have eight planets in our solar system. Looks like the deciding factor was the fact that it's orbit intersects with Neptune's orbit. Is nothing sacred anymore?

[spa 968]

It's really not a planet compared to the rest. It's leftover debris and could be one of many objects out there in the Kuiper Belt. The only reason I can see giving it planet status is by virtue of historical significance since, as a small icy rock, it really isn't significant. As this article shows though http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2006/08/24/pluto-planets.html there is precedence for demoting. The large asteroid Ceres was considered a planet when it was first discovered in 1801. After they found out that it really wasn't remarkable and was just one of many tiny rocks sitting between Mars and Jupiter they demoted it.

[Odainsaker 2,134]

Advocates for Plutonian Equality unite against activist scientists rewriting our doctrinal schoolbooks!

I'm surprised they went so far as to actually rock the boat like that, as I would have expected them to hold onto its historical and cultural significance as well. Oh well, it's not as if the little rock has somehow gotten any smaller. In a few generations, it will be interesting to see how you can date an old science and science fiction work by the number of planets they reference.

[Micah 16]

I can't believe this!

Well, at least I'll be able to show my kids in the future some old solar system charts with Pluto still as a planet.

[gurrgkud 2]

if only they paid this much attention to more important things in life

[bakercity 270]

where has the world gone these days. i grew up with pluto as a planet and i am going to keep it that way for the rest of my life.

[MadTV_Freak 0]

Well.... think of all the people who have put this down on tests... and now there answers were truly wrong.... grr.. I could've got a 100 on that test in the 1st grade . Anyway, this is very interesting news..... 100 years from now... you will be considered crazy for thinking Pluto is a planet... and we will be called dum

[Easy Bakes 253]

I thought they Upgraded Ceres to Planet status?

[Red1530 1]

Originally posted by: Easy Bakes I thought they Upgraded Ceres to Planet status?

quote>

Ceres, Pluto, and 2003 UB₃₁₃ are classified as a  dwarf planet.

 Personaly I think Pluto is a planet because it has an atmosphere and 3 moons.

[quert 10]

IMO...Pluto should stay in its status as a PLANET... Cmon, all these tests at school...

"Test" (within a year)

Is Pluto a planet?

YES

(Gets test back)

"WHAT!!!!! I DIDNT ACE IT CUZ OF THAT QUESTION!!!!!"

and think of all those books that are going to have to be rewriten

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

All this is called "churning the market".  The teachers will {gramatically correct term for a female dog, you dumb editor}  because they have to unlearn something or learn something new.  They may go on strike, or demand a dozen new PA days.

Pluto is definitely a "wanderer" and thus fits the original ancient Greek definition of a planet.  However, does it really matter in the scheme of things?  What poor planet loses its status next?  Uranus?

[Haljackey 17,272]

N_O_Body, Uranus will not lose planet status because its orbit does not intersect with another planet, as Pluto did with Neptune. Even with its tipsy-turvy ring and huge tilt, it will still be a planet.

I heard from CNN International that the number of planets will jump from 9 to 12, even with elimating Pluto, so 5 more will be added. I think Xena and Ceres are canadates amoung with some of the Gailalean moons because thhey have great gravitational pull and an atmosphere (at least some do). Titan, the largest moon orbiting Saturn is also a canadate.

[Sunil 3]

pluto three moons? I thought it had only one Charon hmm. uh wth is ceres?

Edit: this reminds me of a show called three moons over milford

[Delta07 0]

According to the new definition, Pluto isn't a planet. Here's the new defenition:

. Orbit the Sun

. Be big enough for its own gravity to compact it into a ball

. Have "cleared the neighborhood around its orbit," meaning it is not surrounded by objects of similar size and characteristics.

Although it will be different having 8 planets and 3 dwarf planets, I think I'll get used to it in a few days. I didn't think highly of Pluto anyway.

Edit: Sunil, the other 2 are Nix and Hydra which were very recently discovered (2005)

[DuskTrooper 314]

*Destroys Pluto with the Death Star*

[Cjah 15]

Originally posted by: bakercity where has the world gone these days. i grew up with pluto as a planet and i am going to keep it that way for the rest of my life.quote>

 

Same here....they can call me a fool....they can say I'm living in the past....but if I have to have my gravestone read..."Pluto is a planet" then so be it....

Come on now....it has 3 moons which is more then Mars and technically Charon is bigger then the Mars moons....

Also yeh its orbit is a bit whack...but come on...it probably got hit by a gaint object like Uranus did....any orbit would be messed up...imagined if the moon hit the Earth...would our planet even look the same...let alone have the same orbit?

Pluto should get its status back...and as far as Ceres is concerned....its a giant piece of...well....rock...its nothing...not even atmosphere which is what Pluto has....I always thought what seperated a Planet from a rock was an Atmosphere and some kind of moon that does goes around that planet...

But in the long run...crap like Xena and whatever big ~Edited for content~ number....222124344485 whatever,,,,

Will be planets when all we can see is how big they are...when and IF we get pictures of them...is when they will be demoted....cuase I personally belive they are just  more gaint rocks...

I mean come on....Xena and such....whats next bye bye Pluto welcome Chuck Norris Star!

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: N_O_Body 

  What poor planet loses its status next?  Uranus?quote>

 

Mabey a name  change to soemthing that  dosent make kids Giggle when the learn the name.

And  wil avoid smartarse answers in class.

Teacher: "How Big is Uranus?"

SA Kid; " Not as big as yours" 

[joeynymets 19]

what?! all those wasted hours learning and studying when i was young when learning the planets and now i find out that they were lying to me? i guess i have to go back oh 6 or 7 grades lol

Originally posted by: N_O_Body  What poor planet loses its status next? quote>

who knows i wounder if someone will be stupid enough and give earth the boot on being a planet

[Goldfish4209 9]

So, if pluto intersects with neptune, what about neptune? That's kinda being planet racist. So why not get rid of both of them? Do they have a clear reason to keep neptune? Can't we keep things the way it is and

[Cjah 15]

Originally posted by: Goldfish4209 So, if pluto intersects with neptune, what about neptune? That's kinda being planet racist. So why not get rid of both of them? Do they have a clear reason to keep neptune? Can't we keep things the way it is andquote>

 

It is kinda....planet Racist....

Give Neptune the vote...hell hes named after a Roman God...we aint Roman no more...

[Goin2Chicago 4]

well i'll be able to tell my kids someday that i was around when pluto was a planet. thats really too bad though. i sort of feel bad for it now. lol

[Haljackey 17,272]

Neptune is kept cuse its got an atmosphere.  Its bigger than pluto and people think that pluto was once a moon of Neptune untill somthing hit it, or somehow got knocked out of orbit.

So Pluto has an atmosphere? Hun.  Thought it didn't. Learn somthing new everyday.  But,  if an atmosphere is a nessary characteristic than say bye bye to Mercury too cuse its got no atmosphere. 

Both Earth and Mars have very thin atmospheres so they might be jepordised too.

That just leaves the gas Giants and Venus if no new planets are added.

[Skyfire2275 23]

Rest in peace, old chum! Oh wait, it just got demoted. In my eyes, you're still my hero Pluto... The little planet that could.

[mcarch 15]

Orbit is just stupid. Just because our solar system has a circular orbit does NOT mean that everything must be the same. I mean what happens if there is an object in the sky right now thats as big as Jupiter that has an elliptical orbit and becomes the 4th planet when its closest to the sun??? Must not be a Planet then?

[slowerisfaster 0]

Originally posted by: joeynymets what?! all those wasted hours learning and studying when i was young when learning the planets and now i find out that they were lying to me? i guess i have to go back oh 6 or 7 grades lolquote>

This is just more proof for everyone that you should never take what you learn in school at face value. Just because someone says something is a fact doesn't mean it is true or will always be true. I don't mind that science evolves and adapts; if that didn't happen we'd all still be stuck in the stone age. Nevertheless, I do feel a bit sad for the loss of pluto's status. Now, who knows what My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine of? I thought she gave us pizzas, but now I don't know what they were, maybe elastic loaves? No, no that's just stupid

[crazychickensc12 84]

Poor pluto just got kicked to the curb, I don't agree with their decision it's been a planet so long they should have just kept it, o well its only a planet.....

[DOXXP29 5]

Planet racist...I like that one, Goldfish! I understand things evolve and information changes, but science is something we rely on because it's more or less an absolute when it comes to how the physical world works. Thing of all the teachers over all the years explaining to students why Pluto was a planet. Now, they have to change up and tell them why it's NOT a planet. What's next? They decide Hydrogen isn't an element? And on a political note, change ups like this are what give certain religious fanatics and fringe elements fodder to persue their agendas by saying "Look...science can't even make up their minds about the planets. Why should anything else be true!" And sadly, many will say "That's so!".

[the_real_simmer_3 0]

It's a strange universe we're in..........

[sanantonio 0]

Ever notice how Pluto sits and Goofy stands? Wait...that's not right...I say let them all in - Let's make those other solar systems jealous with our 5492375 planets. Suckers.

[Nardo69 51]

Pluto isn't a plant anymore but become a dwarf planet after 76 years being considered a planet. So far so good but ...

Let's face the dimension: it is not relevant at all.

Does it change anything in the solar system? Do Plutonions now become angry and are starting an attack on Earth because of bad bad earthling scientiest? Nope.

In numbers:

Earth age is about 4-5.000.000.000 years. (I wrote the zeros with intention)

Pluto - I don't know but would guess the same - let's don't fight about some 100.000.000 years.

Human beings are on Planet Earth since about 50.000 years.

Earth's current (?) Civilization exists since appr. 8.000 years.

The USA are 230 years old.

Pluto was consiedered  as Planet for 76 years ...

If Pluto was a human being it would have been a "superhuman" for less than 0,001 sec.

Pluto will still be there for at least some 100.000.000 years after human mankind will have wiped out itself (and we are on a good way to achieve this!) .

So what?

Bernhard