24.8.06

And then there were eight

I had been very excited by the prospect of adding Xena, and potentially dozens more, to the ranks of planets however the IAU decided otherwise and have instead demoted Pluto to a "dwarf planent".

Does this mean we are now looking for Planet IX?

2 comments:

Cameron said...

Pluto will live on in the hearts of all who know and love it as our one true 9th planet.

Red Five said...

OK, some scientists have too much time, not too mention overtly disused linguistic skills, on their hands. Presumably, in order to be a planet, you have to have cleared your "neighbourhood" up, in stellar speak. Jupiter's spot aside, I guess having a red light district means you're shunned from the planet community.

The nonsensical "dwarf planet" which is not a planet (so why call it something with planet in the name??) is the product of minds which clearly need better things to do.

I'll join the chorus with those on Pluto... "We're number 9, we're number nine...!"