I was originally going to do my Assignment Two on the Pluto debate, but I found it impossible to find an academic article arguing on the subject. Pretty much all I found were articles summing up what happened, or books that people had written based on their arguments, but not really anybody arguing their point. Now I'm going to have to find a new topic, but I don't want all my Pluto research to go to waste, so why not blog about it?
About three and a half years ago the IAU (International Astronomical Union) changed the definition of what exactly makes something a planet. They had a vote on whether or not Pluto should remain a planet, and the voters decided that Pluto should be demoted to a dwarf planet. You'd think that with such a big vote they would try to get everybody in the IAU to partake. Wrong! It turns out that of the around 10,000 members of the IAU, only 424 voted on the subject. This point along with Pluto being the only planet discovered by an American and just people's resistance to change seems to be the basis of the debate.
I agree with redefining what makes a planet a planet, because it shows that science is always developing and constantly moving forward. I don't think that Pluto should be demoted to Dwarf planet though. I feel that it's kinda like Ex Post Facto laws. You can't be punished by law for doing something, if at the time there was no law against it. The way I see it we shouldn't punish Pluto just because our definition of a planet was vague at the time. Just apply the new rules to newly discovered bodies like Ceres and Eris.
It's funny that such an intense debate has been struck over something that really doesn't matter at all. Seriously it's just a name! "A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet." I'm not saying it's pointless to have an opinion on the subject, because I obviously have one. Just don't take it so seriously! For example the state of Illinois has passed legislation making Pluto a planet when it is referred to within the state. This is because it was the home state to Clyde Tombaugh (the discoverer of Pluto). New Mexico has also passed legislation on the subject. They made it so that Pluto was a planet when referred to in their state, and also that March 13 2007 was "Pluto planet day" just because it was a long time home to Clyde Tombaugh.
I do wish that Pluto was still a planet, but maybe it's time to move on and focus on the imminent discoveries out there in space.
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I think Pluto is a planet and should still be one
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