September 4, 2006Should Pluto Be a Planet?On August 24, 2006, astronomers declared that Pluto is no longer a planet, thereby downsizing the solar system from nine planets to eight. After a week of debate, the International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of planetary status because its orbit crosses Neptune's and therefore fails one of three planetary requirements. Instead, Pluto (along with Ceres and Xena) is now classified as a dwarf planet. For seventy-six years school children remembered the order of the nine planets with the following mnemonic: "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas." (My-Mercury, Very-Venus, Educated-Earth, Mother-Mars, Just-Jupiter, Serve-Saturn, Us-Uranus, Nine-Neptune, Pizza-Pluto) So... are we ditching pizza and switching to nuts? "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nuts!" Now school children everywhere need to relearn the eight planets (and forget the nine planets.) What do YOU think? Is this fair? Should we pity poor Pluto? Should Pluto retain its status as a planet? In addition to voting, you can post a comment (below the poll) if you want to explain your position.
You should follow me on Twitter here. More Posts Like This One: Ask Barbara Polls What's New? Posted by Barbara J. Feldman at September 4, 2006 12:01 PM | Comments (154) Read Comments
January 28, 2010 11:12 AM If pluto's not a planet than midgets aren't people! December 14, 2009 1:32 PM even though plutos not a planetwe still have to learm about it in class and now we have to research the reasons why its not a planet. urg just make it a planet again! December 9, 2009 6:34 PM well watever all you harters say to me pluto is a planet and you know wat if all you say that ceres is slighty bigger than pluto lets make them planets that way they'll let pluto a planet.....PPPPPPUUUUUUUTTTTTTLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOO December 9, 2009 6:27 PM I had wanted to say originally that I think the scientific community is incorrect for saying that Pluto is indeed not a planet. However, doing a bit of research made me believe that Pluto is not in fact, a real planet, but merely a dwarf planet. The rest of you who are claiming that Pluto should be a planet are saying so out of sheer thought, am I right? Well, to start off. Pluto's orbit does intersect that of Neptune's. Neptune's orbit is circle-shaped. Pluto's is oval-shaped. Second, a full-fledged planet has to orbit a sun, not entirely "the" sun, considering there are planets in the outer universe that orbit other suns such as Sirius and Antarus, and must be big enough to have caused its rounding by the force of its own gravity. America is bigger than pluto. Our Moon is bigger than Pluto. Finally, Pluto and its moon, Charon, act as a double planet' they revolve around each other. In conclusion, I have the facts to disprove my original hypothesis and most of yours. December 4, 2009 1:21 PM im doing a project on weather Pluto should be a planet or not. And personally i dont care, but thru research i think it should because scientists have done reseach with the whole galaxy, and now to take it out is like taking a peice of that research away. November 12, 2009 3:55 PM pluto is not a planet because since prooves its not a planet. and all planets far from mars should be gas giants November 10, 2009 10:53 AM i think pluto should be a planet bc it was a planet be4 WHY theyyyyyyyyy take it away NOW?! November 8, 2009 5:24 PM yall stupid as hell November 2, 2009 1:42 PM I think that pluto should b a planet because god made it apart of our solor system how would you fell if you were humin at on time then a Astronomer'said that you r not a humin any more so all you people that said to get a life you should there are things that may be instreing a bout pluto than you could ever know because people don't care and I SURE DO CARE!!!!!!!! November 2, 2009 1:41 PM I think that pluto should b a planet because god made it apart of our solor system how would you fell if you were humin at on time then a Astronomer'said that you r not a humin any more so all you people that said to get a life you should there are things that may be instreing a bout pluto than you could ever know because people don't care and I SURE DO CARE!!!!!!!! November 2, 2009 1:40 PM I think that pluto should b a planet because god made it apart of our solor system how would you fell if you were humin at on time then a Astronomer'said that you r not a humin any more so all you people that said to get a life you should there are things that may be instreing a bout pluto than you could ever know because people don't care and I SURE DO CARE!!!!!!!! November 2, 2009 1:40 PM I think that pluto should b a planet because god made it apart of our solor system how would you fell if you were humin at on time then a Astronomer'said that you r not a humin any more so all you people that said to get a life you should there are things that may be instreing a bout pluto than you could ever know because people don't care and I SURE DO CARE!!!!!!!! October 27, 2009 9:01 AM All u how put coments stop wasting ur time in usless stuf and get a life!!!!!!!!!!!!!! October 27, 2009 8:55 AM I think we sould all forget about pluto i mean "it's a object in the solar system "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! October 27, 2009 8:55 AM I think we sould all forget about pluto i mean "it's a object in the solar system "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! October 18, 2009 6:44 PM for those of you who say pluto should be a planet because it has held that status for decades, you should take time and remember an object in our solar system names ceres and decide if you still think pluto should be a planet. October 18, 2009 4:16 PM Pluto has not cleared out all other material from it's orbital path. If you add up all the material in Pluto's path it would be many times bigger than Pluto. That is one of the rules of becoming a planet, clearing out or dominating your orbit. That's not to say that Pluto won't eventually do that and regain it's status as a planet, it just hasn't finished yet. October 7, 2009 6:37 AM Pluto is defenetly a planet! we were taught in school that it was a planet, and well, 'techionally' school is never wrong. October 2, 2009 7:09 AM i think pluto should be a planet cause i have been taught that ever since year 1 its realy hard to forget about it. :( i made a song about pluto 'i love plutooooooo Pluto dont leave me September 17, 2009 2:40 PM Astronomers DID NOT say that Pluto wasn't a planet. Only 237 Astronomers said it wasn't. The rest of us Astronomers, over 10,000 of us disagree with the IAU decision. PLUTO IS A PLANET !!!! September 16, 2009 7:25 AM PLUTO IS A PLANET!!! END OF STORY!!! U CANT CALL IT A PLANET AND 75 YEARS LATER CHANGE YOUR MIND!!! ALL THE STUPID SCIENTISTS SHOULD FIND SOMETHING BETTER TO DO!!! ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SAY ITS NOT A PLANET MUST GET THEIR FACTS STRAIGHT!!! XOXOXOXOX September 15, 2009 1:41 PM GET A LIFE September 15, 2009 10:42 AM k really who cares if its a planet or not. its a ball in the solar system. everyone is totally crazy. why you all pyscho over this really? get over it August 26, 2009 2:42 AM i believe pluto should be a planet because the third classification of a planet says that to be a planet it must have cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit... that is funny because if neptune had cleared its zone, pluto would not be there. August 16, 2009 11:23 AM Why the heck do we ever ever ever need to think about it? Technically Pluto's no more a planet - so its not - they changed the definition. Its size and resonance with Neptune makes me say that it looks better with its bros - Ceres and Xena. August 14, 2009 9:01 PM People who think Pluto should be a planet and crying over it have just gone insane. Who cares? Pluto doesn't have any feelings, we are just calling it something different. Astronomers never 'removed' it. What's the difference with calling Pluto- a dwarf planet or a planet? There's only one word!! Crazy people! I can't believe it. August 2, 2009 12:27 AM Pluto should be considered a planet in the modern world of today. A planet is a planet, no matter how small! May 17, 2009 3:21 PM I dont care if Pluto is a planet anymore. Doesnt ake any difference to me! May 5, 2009 4:13 PM whateve!:) May 5, 2009 7:57 AM THE FINAL TRUTH: The scientific community is not interested in the planet, they wanted to know how much power of decision they still have, so they had to experiment with something big and that most people would relate to. Making Pluto a non-planet object that orbits the sun is like suddenly saying that they have found life on a planet 2 million light years away from here. No one will be able to prove them wrong or right because when those bastards make up their minds THEY are the only ones who think should change the rules. For me Pluto is still a planet and there is nothing they can do to make me change that fact. SO THERE!!! WANT TO TAKE THIS OUTSIDE SCIENTISTS? April 15, 2009 2:18 PM i think pluto should b April 10, 2009 1:23 PM I don't know why they changed it . Pluto was a planet so long they just decided to change it, I think that is crazy. Pluto really should be a planet I don't care what any one has to say. Pluto is still a planet in my book. I just don't understand why they would just cahnge it. April 6, 2009 9:40 PM pluto is not a good planet its to far away March 30, 2009 7:25 PM i think it should cuz it rocks as a small planet!!!!!!!!!!! March 26, 2009 5:12 PM I was helping a kid that i was baby sitting to learn his planets and i go "ok. what is the smallest planet" and he sits there for a second and say something like mars. and i was all "nope. its pluto" and he goes "whats pluto?". i was like omg "wheres pluto on this map?!" and now i totally want to get a shirt that says when i was your age pluto was a planet cuz i may be 15 but its perfect for me ;) i miss pluto :'( March 26, 2009 8:41 AM Pluto should be declard to be a planet because they decided top say it was along timke ago so they should keep it that way. TYhey have no reason to change it. soo i think pluto should be a planet. March 24, 2009 1:36 PM ok look, this is retarted.if the "smart people" (astronomers)say that pluto isnt a plant then......PLUTO ISNT A PLANET!gosh, some people seriously need to chill because its not like pluto has feelings or anything......so give it a rest and know that there are 8 planets in the sloar system!have a problem?well to bad!the astronomers are right, and if you dont think so then become one!!! March 16, 2009 6:01 PM Under the terms of the IAU they said that pluto is a dead planet, last time I checked they also said Mars is a dead planet, so does that mean mars is not a planet.Oh, there is no true definition of a planet. March 9, 2009 2:22 PM Pluto should be a planet! The astronemers that declared Pluto not a planet had something against Pluto I swear. Because, with the rules they made; Neptune, Jupiter, Earth, and Mars, would not be classifyied as planets ethier. Now i am only 12 but I have reasearched Pluto non stop for the past few weeks, and I have pretty good knowladge of the planet myself (as it is my favortie planet) I have tried and tired to find how far a planet has to have cleared its neighborhood but I can not find it. So if any of you know where to find that email me at: March 9, 2009 2:20 PM Pluto should be a planet! The astronemers that declared Pluto not a planet had something against Pluto I swear. Because, with the rules they made; Neptune, Jupiter, Earth, and Mars, would not be classifyied as planets ethier. Now i am only 12 but I have reasearched Pluto non stop for the past few weeks, and I have pretty good knowladge of the planet myself (as it is my favortie planet) I have tried and tired to find how far a planet has to have cleared its neighborhood but I can not find it. So if any of you know where to find that email me at: February 25, 2009 11:37 PM PLUTO should be regarded as a planet just as much as any other. Just because it comes from a poor neighborhood dosent mean that it should be kicked out, if any other planet lived in a Kupier belt like that would it ALSO be kicked out? Whats all this stuff about having to be round, c'mon earth isnt that round is it? February 13, 2009 7:46 PM Everyone who is saying the only reason Pluto isn't classified as a planet anymore because it's "different," stop. Try having elementary students memorize that. January 13, 2009 3:26 PM P to the L to the U to the T to the O
January 13, 2009 3:21 PM Hey if you think pluto is a planet...... what the heck is a matter with you??? December 17, 2008 2:19 PM Pluto is an asteroid. It just so happens to be a slightly larger one. The only reason why it's been called a planet is because when it was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, "planet" was the only label they could give it. I'm sorry, but yeah. T_T It totally breaks my heart that Pluto isn't a planet any longer, but I don't believe that fighting against the IAU is going to change anything. The only way that Pluto will affect any of us during our lifetimes is by giving the population something to argue about on the internet. We all have better things to do, like the fact that I should be working on my report right now. It's due tomorrow.... Au revoir (no, I'm not french) October 16, 2008 12:21 PM Hello, my name is River, and I need the assistance of everyone to KEEP PLUTO A PLANET in my absence. I invite you to a website which will give you a clearer idea of what we're trying to do; I would suggest following the link to read previous journal entries to get the full idea. It would be great to hear your thoughts, your input on the Pluto ordeal, and possibly work out some level of collaboration. Thank you all. Please take a moment to read my story: theSafestBoy.com --River October 13, 2008 6:37 PM i very well think that plut0 sh0uld be c0unted as a planet. just because its orbit is different from ours and its a litlte coulder then al0t 0f the other planets out there that gives us no reason to change its "status" as a planet. really the only reason that we changed it is because it is different. September 24, 2008 11:43 AM Its very refreshing to know that not only 1...but a GROUP of scientists sat around to debate whether or not Pluto was a planet. I mean, of ALLLLL the things they could be better spending their time on, they chose to find ways to eliminate Pluto as a planet. I mean...the universe is vast...but instead they sat around for YEARS and debated this issue. Knowing that Pluto doesn't fit our definition of a planet has definitely changed lives and made an impact on society. Ummmm wait no, that's not correct. No one cares, because it's insignificant and doesn't matter. Leave the damn planet alone. It changed nothing!!! But they got paid to sit around and research this sh**!! UNBELIEVABLE OHHHH and to the school teacher who posted way down...you have a contest to see how many students can name all the planets and remember how many there are?!?!?!? That's great - could you think of a more confusing game for children? I could see it now, "No Billy, you're wrong. That book you've been reading on the solar system is incorrect - Pluto is not a planet - sorry to confuse you." MORONS September 21, 2008 10:42 PM Pluto does physically qualify as a planet. Being in a state of hydrostatic equilibrium--meaning it has enough self gravity to pull itself into a round shape--clearly distinguishes it and the other dwarf planets from shapeless asteroids. Objects in hydrostatic equilibrium have geological processes akin to those of planets, processes that inert asteroids do not have. The IAU definition makes no sense because it states that dwarf planets are not planets at all. That is like saying a grizzly bear is not a bear! It needs to be revised to distinguish that while there are two classes of planets--those that dominate their orbits and those that do not--both classes are still planets. Also, it is noteworthy that "the experts" do not agree on the IAU definition. It was adopted by four percent of the IAU's membership, most of whom are not planetary scientists. Many planetary scientists are not IAU members and therefore had no say in the decision. About 300 professional astronomers led by Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto, signed a formal petition saying they will not use the IAU definition. So this is far from a done deal and very much still an ongoing debate. September 2, 2008 2:24 PM well i think that none of these comments are going to help. if we want to change something so bad we should do something about it, not post rude comments about the scientists. sure they made a mistake, they are people just like you and you make mistakes too right? they have helped us so much and all you are worried about is some stupid planet? does it really matter? if they keep it a planet is it going to help or hurt you? if they don't keep it as a planet are you going to die or suffer, is it going to help us at all? this isn't the most importent thing going on right now. there are people dieing somewhere because of some horrible desise and your worried about wheather pluto is a planet or not. i know your wondering why i read this in the first place. well i was doing homework and i needed to come up with some debate reasons. i got a pretty good homework grade and i did my topic as pluto should be a planet. but forget this and worry about something more important =] June 26, 2008 8:14 PM Okay so maybe you want pluto to be a planet. but it physically does not qualify to be one. for one, the are much larger objects in our solar system. if pluto is a planet, then that should give them the right to be one too. also, according to the IAU (international astronomical union) along with other rules "A planet is any object in orbit around the Sun that is dominant in its immediate neighbourhood." and Pluto is only 0.07 times the mass of the other objects in its orbit. The Earth, in comparison, has 1.7 million times the mass of the other objects in its orbit.
June 4, 2008 11:15 AM What gives scientists the power to change something so natural???? I love Pluto. It's my favourite PLANET and now it's gone! Scientists have no right to change it's title! It can't exactly protest! Can it?????!!!!!!! May 21, 2008 11:09 AM Pluto is a planetandeveryone knows it so hahhahaha May 9, 2008 6:40 PM WHY IN THE UNIVERSE WOULD YOU WANT TO GET RID OF PLUTO? WHO EVER SAID THAT PLUTO IS NO LONGER A PLANET SHOULD NO LONGER BE A SCIENTIST!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHO EVER HAD TO CHANGE THAT STUPID RULE JUST SO THAT PLUTO IS NOT A PLANET IS SO STUPID!!!!! I BET THAT HE COULDNT EVEN REMEMBER WHAT CAME AFTER THE SERVE US NINE... THATS WHY HE WANTED TO CHANGE THE RULE YOU STUIP PERSON!!!!!!! May 8, 2008 7:13 AM everyon is comparing pluto to what we humans are and thats not right. pluto has been classified as a dwarf planet because of it size. it is .00012 the size of earth. but in the future if scientists find a lot more "dwarf" planets that are smaller they might reconsider the fact that pluto is a planet. and who care what us children haveto learn in school now we humans can take a change that a planet that is 1000 times as far away from earth as the earth is from the sun. so why bother. May 8, 2008 7:01 AM yes pluto should be a planet because it has been longer than anyone will ever be. Also if Pluto is not a planet what will it be. God created Pluto so it should stay. May 8, 2008 7:01 AM yes pluto should be a planet because it has been longer than anyone will ever be. Also if Pluto is not a planet what will it be. God created Pluto so it should stay. May 6, 2008 12:48 PM Making Pluto not a planet anymore isnt fair!!! xXxTat-Na (17 yrs old)xXx April 25, 2008 11:46 AM YES PLUTO SHOULD BE A PLANTE!!!!!!!!!!1 April 22, 2008 12:07 PM im in yr 7 and i have to do about pluto and thyngs would b alot easier if it woz a planet becoz i thynk that it does 1 thyng which isnt wat all planets do that dosent mean it should not be a planet any more because if someone has somethyng rong with them we wouldnot kall them a alien would we? well thats wat i thynk April 2, 2008 8:59 AM I don't think Pluto should be considered a planet anymore because unlike other planets, like earth, where the moon orbits around the planet, Pluto and its moon Charon orbit each other. An asteroid, which is basically a small planet, has an odd, oval-like orbit instead of the practically spherical orbit of most planets. Pluto's orbit is more related to that of an asteroid's than that of a planet's. If you think Pluto is a planet, then do you think that all asteroids should be planets, too? Think about it. March 31, 2008 4:54 PM I too think pluto should be a planet. but if your argurment is for textbook purposes, they get new text books quite frequently, so if its to save the trees,I dont see that happening. I've been working with kids for over 8 years and Ive seen the science book change so many times its crazy March 24, 2008 5:56 PM Pluto has 3 moons, has been a planet for 75 years, and the criterium that disqualified it as a planet would, technically, reduce the number of planets to 0. I say KEEP PLUTO!!!!!!!!! March 17, 2008 9:04 PM my dad thinks pluto should be a planet because its a planet already well thats what he thinks and dont know for the other loooooossssseeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrsssssssssssss March 17, 2008 8:53 PM pluto should be a planet because its in outer space and the people that dont think well u guys are so stupid retarded and all the rest of the bad things to let u know ok March 12, 2008 10:45 AM Hi it is awesome dudes, im doin a debate in science!!!!!!!!!!! it should be a plantet. Freedom!!!!! March 10, 2008 10:37 AM Pluto has all the qualifications to be a planet. It has 2 moons, is roughly spherical, and orbits the sun, just like other planets. Besides, Pluto is very unique because it crosses Neptune's orbit I say we should keep Pluto a planet!!!!!!! March 10, 2008 8:50 AM I think that is stupid that scientist say that Pluto isn't a planet anymnore, because even if they say Pluto isn't, no one will move March 4, 2008 10:44 AM pluto should be a planet if you dont take any other planets away so keep pluto a planet March 3, 2008 1:28 PM Why does everyone worry about if Pluto is a planet or not? There are many more important things our scientists could be doing, Pluto has been a planet for over 30 yrs, leave it alone and focus on important things like GLOBAL WARMING. March 1, 2008 7:46 AM I really think Pluto is a planet. Screw any1 who doesn't. Just like Zach Said....add Xena and Ceres. What do you know, Pluto might be inhabitable. I have read all the comments on this page and i will NOT accept Pluto's demotion! Just leave Pluto alone. February 29, 2008 11:19 PM P to the L to the U to the T to the O hayley_soccer_babe@hotmail.com ly February 27, 2008 5:21 PM stupid ppl pluto to me is still a planet love u pluto i also love pizza lmfao February 27, 2008 5:21 PM stupid ppl pluto to me is still a planet love u pluto i also love pizza lmfao February 10, 2008 12:32 PM MY MOM SERVES ME NINE PIZZAS NOT NUTSS NASTY January 29, 2008 4:31 AM oi. you are not the one who found pluto. give mercy to the person who found. he may be dead but spirit is still alive January 14, 2008 11:04 AM Sigh....Okay, everyone. I actually have thought this over and will tell you all why our Pluto should forever be a planet. Just because Pluto lacks one quality the other planets have, does that truly take its right to being a planet? Can we honsetly have a sure definition of a planet? In example, gum balls are spherical, oranges are spherical, grapes are spherical, and bananas are not. Yes? Well then, does that make bananas any less the food in this group? I should think not. January 14, 2008 9:45 AM I think that Pluto SHOULD b a planet because its been 75 years (i think)and it hasnt made a difference in anything. and the scientists should just keep it the same or else it will just confuse kids... i should know im 13 years old and im really pd cuz they're taking away pluto!! Pluto has 2 b the best planet cuz its just original. Taking Pluto away is just plain stupid! January 14, 2008 8:42 AM PLUTO KICKS @$$! KEEP IT! January 14, 2008 8:40 AM HECK YES! fix earth then space XP <3Nightmare Before Chirstmas<3 January 8, 2008 2:23 PM i think pluto should be a planet and why should only a few people get to decide wether pluto should or shoudent be a planet its just so stupied i think the whole world should dicied if pluto should or should not be a plantet not just a few people. January 8, 2008 11:16 AM i think Puto should be a planet because it will be a total waste of money to make new text books with new information oabout the plantes, and it will screw up the acronym about the NINE planets, MVEMJSUNP. but without that...there will be no P or there will be no PORSHE!! it will mess up little kids minds about the solar system and then they will start thinkning that other planets won't be planets, because of the un-planeting of pluto!!! PLUTO SHOULD BE A PLANET!!!!!!!!! thanks for your time ladies and gentlemen January 8, 2008 11:16 AM i think Puto should be a planet because it will be a total waste of money to make new text books with new information oabout the plantes, and it will screw up the acronym about the NINE planets, MVEMJSUNP. but without that...there will be no P or there will be no PORSHE!! it will mess up little kids minds about the solar system and then they will start thinkning that other planets won't be planets, because of the un-planeting of pluto!!! PLUTO SHOULD BE A PLANET!!!!!!!!! thanks for your time ladies and gentlemen January 8, 2008 11:16 AM i think Puto should be a planet because it will be a total waste of money to make new text books with new information oabout the plantes, and it will screw up the acronym about the NINE planets, MVEMJSUNP. but without that...there will be no P or there will be no PORSHE!! it will mess up little kids minds about the solar system and then they will start thinkning that other planets won't be planets, because of the un-planeting of pluto!!! PLUTO SHOULD BE A PLANET!!!!!!!!! thanks for yout ime ladies and gentlemen December 27, 2007 3:30 PM PLUTO SHOULE BE A PLANET!! it will cost lots of money and trees to re-make all the school books and information about pluto, just so that we can switch the planetes to 8 and kick pluto out! Also......ITS NOT FAIR.........its like me giving you a presant and then 50 years later takeing it away! December 17, 2007 7:09 AM If Pluto is a planet than so should the Earth's moon and Jupiter's moons too. December 11, 2007 9:23 AM i dont know why people dont want pluto as a planet December 5, 2007 1:33 PM why wold they want to take ploto out for i hate the peple that said ploto isn't a plant f*c* u November 19, 2007 7:46 PM I am doing a research paper on the argument over Pluto. All the scientific evidence points to no, but for the research I've done, almost everyone thinks it should be a planet. It is a tradition, like eggs at Easter and a tree at Christmas. Also, who makes up the scientific rules anyway? There was only 9 planets ever to begin with. Why can't you bent the rules that YOU made to accomodate what was already included? Adults just make everything too complicated. November 12, 2007 3:46 AM WE!!!! November 12, 2007 3:45 AM LOVE!!!! November 12, 2007 3:44 AM YOU!!! November 12, 2007 3:43 AM PLUTO!!!!! November 12, 2007 3:41 AM HEEELLLLOOOO =D there =P .. I love you plutoooo, "we will miss yhew" *cries* pleease cum bk into our solar system!!!! the rhymes not the same without thew "P" ...-xX* November 7, 2007 8:24 PM WHY CAN'T PLUTO BE A PLANET IF IT ISN'T A PLANET THE THEY WOULD SAY MY VERY EDUCATED MOTHER JUST SERVED US NUTS. SOME SMART PEOPLE ARE JUST STUPID FUC@KIN IDIOTS October 27, 2007 1:15 PM Pluto should not be a planet, due to the fact that it enters the orbit that is possesed by Neptune. One of the three planetary requirements states: It must be large enough to "dominate" its orbit, its mass must be much larger than anything else which crosses its orbit, so Pluto Should Not Be A Palnet October 5, 2007 6:52 AM The definition of a planet-n. In the traditional model of solar systems, a celestial body larger than an asteroid or comet, illuminated by light from a star, such as the sun, around which it revolves. First off, Pluto does orbit the sun, like any other planet. Pluto has sufficient mass to assume a nearly round shape, like any other planet. Pluto is NOT the satillite of another planet, and is larger than an astroid or comet. The only criteria Pluto does not meet is that it hasnt cleared out the debris in its orbital neighborhood. Neptune hasnt cleared out the debris and dust in its orbit and Mars and Jupiter have not either. The astroid belt which is located between both of their orbits has not been cleared away. So if Pluto isnt a planet any more than neither should Jupiter, Mars, and Neptune. October 5, 2007 6:52 AM The definition of a planet-n. In the traditional model of solar systems, a celestial body larger than an asteroid or comet, illuminated by light from a star, such as the sun, around which it revolves. First off, Pluto does orbit the sun, like any other planet. Pluto has sufficient mass to assume a nearly round shape, like any other planet. Pluto is NOT the satillite of another planet, and is larger than an astroid or comet. The only criteria Pluto does not meet is that it hasnt cleared out the debris in its orbital neighborhood. Neptune hasnt cleared out the debris and dust in its orbit and Mars and Jupiter have not either. The astroid belt which is located between both of their orbits has not been cleared away. So if Pluto isnt a planet any more than neither should Jupiter, Mars, and Neptune. September 12, 2007 5:40 AM there is an even better mnemonic. my very easy method just speeds up naming planets. way more relevant. September 11, 2007 7:25 AM why isnt pluto a planet i think they just havent made a discovery in a long time and they just wanted to act smart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! August 15, 2007 10:43 PM Pluto is a dwarf planet. But it shouldn't be a dwarf U STINKY POO-POO PEOPLE!!!!! August 8, 2007 3:42 AM If your mums a planet pluto should be but that doesn't stand as evidence cause ya mums da sun! June 5, 2007 12:18 PM I DONT SERVE MY KIDS NUTS I SERVE THEM PIZZA CHANGE IT BACK!!!!!! June 5, 2007 7:52 AM Pluto should be a planet because your mom is aplanet June 5, 2007 6:23 AM pluto shouldnt be a planet because it is not a planet it is a dwarf planet, there are many other things out there which could be the same as pluto as its small and we dont want to be learning about 500 million different planets its hard enough to remember nine!!!!!!!!!!!! safex May 9, 2007 3:25 PM man it is a planet im a 13 year old boy who needs to do a stupid project and its about pluto so keep f@#$#@ pluto a planet ok May 9, 2007 3:25 PM man it is a planet im a 13 year old boy who needs to do a stupid project and its about pluto so keep f@#$#@ pluto a planet ok May 8, 2007 6:36 AM Everyone seems so willing to ignore what the experts say - "screw scientists" and so on and so forth. I wonder if the people who have so little regard for expert astronomers have the same attitude towards other experts. When they are sick do they refuse to take the medicine prescribed by a medical expert? How ridiculous. April 12, 2007 4:15 PM I think we should just stick with Pluto being a planet. Besides there are more important issues in this world than deciding if a planet that has been a planet for many years should stay a planet. How about doing something about GLOBAL WARMING! Maybe we should think about trying to save our own planet first. April 11, 2007 8:31 AM PLUTO IS A PLANET!! U STUPID BUTTS!!! January 7, 2007 2:44 AM umm...dwarf planets are also planets rite??...so why cant pluto be a planet?? i mean..what's the big deal??...as others said...it has orbits like earth n all..and also..the *experts* might be wrong! so everybody..PLUTO IS A PLANET! hah November 28, 2006 6:38 PM I think that Pluto should be considered a planet. It orbits the sun like every other planet in the solar system!, so why can't Pluto be a planet!!! October 19, 2006 7:06 PM Dwarf planet. Huh! Dwarf does NOT register in my vocabulary! PLUTO IS A PLANET!!!!! October 17, 2006 12:45 PM i think instead of changing the planets to fit the requirements, they should change the requirements to fit the planetss. Take it for granted that pluto IS a planet and factor that into the definition of what a planet is October 3, 2006 8:39 PM Living in AZ has a minor effect on my decision that Pluto should, in fact, remain a planet. Its round, like earth; its orbiting the sun, like earth; it has enough gravitational pull to draw itself to another body, like earth; and this junk about clearing the neighborhood? What is that? Mars and jupiter have moons and asteroids all around them and theyre planets. Think, if we can change what is and whats not a planet then soon we'll be left the idea that only bodies with water may be planets. So then we have 1 planet in our solar system and seven (RBFR) really big fricken rocks. October 2, 2006 8:39 AM i think pluto shoulld be a planet because the majority of the people that have taken this test vote that pluto should be a planet. i look at charts and pluto is still on there. if they want pluto to not be a planet they should do something about it September 28, 2006 3:15 PM We are doing a debate in science class about should pluto be a planet or not. We think Pluto should be a planet. We think it is so stupid that the so called "experts" changed pluto into a dwarf planet. I mean you can't just change a planet that has been a planet for 76 years. Say good bye to Pluto mickeys dog we might as well just name it Neptune. September 22, 2006 8:12 PM I strongly object to the demotion of Pluto by a small group of scientists voting based on very narrow criteria. There is no way I will accept this decision. If children I know are taught in school that there are eight planets in our solar system, I will correct this misinformation and teach them that there are nine (at least). This is revisionist history that would make George Orwell proud. Pluto orbits the sun and has three moons. The requirement that its orbit be on the same plane as Earth's is just one more example of human arrogance. In the long run, I believe this decision will be overturned. In the meantime, please count me in as an advocate who will do whatever I can to restore Pluto's rightful place in our solar system. September 21, 2006 6:00 AM you bad guy!Pluto is a good plantet!since pluto left ,everybody was sad.i think you should not be forgive!pls let pluto back or this will become a sad world .there is many comment before this. September 20, 2006 6:16 AM we want pluto to came back!18 feb 1930,earth found pluto.if you kick off pluto ,you yourself KICK EARTH OUT too! September 18, 2006 7:56 AM Pluto should most definitely still be a planet. Even if they have discovered other planets of similar size and features, adding one more planet isn't a bad thing at all. Hey, it opens up more research opporunities for today's young people, and instead of making the world angry over the absence of our beloved Pluto, make them excited about adding Ceres. I know I don't know much when it comes to this whole thing, but I do know that I was very, very sad to hear of Pluto's demotion. September 17, 2006 7:40 PM I can not worry about Pluto right now. I just found out that Protista is no longer a Kingdom. I can only handle one scientific crisis at a time! September 16, 2006 10:08 AM Pluto was discovered in 1930 and immediately became accepted as the ninth planet. However, science is not stagnant and recent research has helped the scientific community decide that it does not meet the requirements of what a planet is. This is not about nostaglia or removing a rightful planet in our solar system. It is about science coming up with theories that occasionally have to be modified based on further examination. The way some poster are responding you would think that Pluto has a right to be a planet because that is what we grew up with. Resistance to change in this case is not a crucial factor, but what about new technologies that offer new hope for cures or solutions for public health issues. For instance, the government has just approved the spraying of foods with viruses that consume the listeria bacteria (which can be fatal if ingested). The idea of eating food purposely treated with viruses is probably enough to shock many people but the technology has been tested over many years and has proven itself harmless to humans. These particular viruses are present in our everyday lives and eat only the listeria bacteria. Should our preconceived notions of viruses (bad) affect our decision to treat food so that people do not get sick or worse. September 16, 2006 9:31 AM pluto should be a planet for ks pride and for cartoonists tv books and music and toys pluto should be a planet once more September 12, 2006 5:10 AM I say no, as long as they have stable and consistent rules. I have noticed in my travels that what is taught as continents in the USA is not always the same in other parts of the world, so it's really not that big of a deal. September 10, 2006 11:45 AM IF FOR NO OTHER REASON: September 10, 2006 9:10 AM It wouldn't be very hard to learn the planets all over again but why don't we just add in all the dwarf planets as well, while we are at it? There are only three official dwarf planets: Xena, Pluto and Ceres. How about this: "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine X-rayed Pizza Crusts." This completely solves the problem! September 9, 2006 3:01 PM Next thing we know we'll be hearing there is no such thing as the Tooth Fairy! Poor Pluto. September 9, 2006 6:59 AM We are always going through changes. As an educator, I had to change the Continent and Ocean song that I used to teach my children about our world in the year 2000 when someone decided that there was a Southern Ocean right above Antartica. Then there was the time awhile back that there was a section of continents called Oceania. I still have maps that show that. Change is good! We are educating ourselves with change and therefore, in turn, educate our children about change. September 9, 2006 6:52 AM What about those of us that are allergic to nuts. Mom could not have been very educated to serve us nuts! My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Newtons! September 9, 2006 3:16 AM For those of you not willing to accept change and new scientific discoveries... I hope that man continues to think scientifically outside the box- therein lies the cure for cancer... September 7, 2006 9:57 PM And Then There Were Eight (http://ranthonysteele.blogspot.com/2006/08/and-then-there-were-eight.html)was my blog entry on the subject of the decision. I never considered Pluto a planet. I prefer 8 planets to an open-ended number of round balls that we would call planets under the original proposed definition. (http://ranthonysteele.blogspot.com/2006/08/so-how-many-planets-are-there-anyway.html) The same majority usage that assigns definitions to words like 'table' will dominate the literary landscape, no matter what those of higher learning would prefer in the end. Here's hoping that some future child peering out a porthole in his parents' family owned business/home will learn the correct usage of the word from a more knowledgeable parent. "Hey, dad! Is that the planet Ceres?" "Sorry son, Ceres isn't really a planet. That's why we have to dodge all these other rocks out here..." September 7, 2006 8:32 AM One of the life-lessons that science provides us with, is a system of rules. Within that system there are always the rule breakers. The strange,the odd, the weird...these are the wonders of science ! Sharon Minor September 7, 2006 8:06 AM Living in Flagstaff, AZ, the site of the observatory where Pluto was discoverd, I know I am biased, but yes, I feel Pluto should remain classified as a planet. Nothing in this universe is perfect. September 7, 2006 7:30 AM Science is an exact study but one that is always expanding due to learning and understanding life with new information available to us. There are 3 planetary requirements, Pluto,poor Pluto, failed and so now we will understand why its status has changed and relearn our solor system. It IS EXCITING!!!!! Just think what new info is out there for us to explore with our children. Education is a life long process. One with no end if we always keep an open mind to new possibilities.. WOW what an adventure. It is of no consequence that children will relearn or learn our planets in a new way. September 7, 2006 6:29 AM Dwarf PLANETS are still PLANETS!! September 6, 2006 6:58 PM I am perplexed if not depressed. Pluto will always September 6, 2006 6:55 PM I applaud the scientific community for fixing an omission of their own and finally defining what a planet is, even if it rocks our view of the universe. We as adults and teachers may find it strange to have to relearn the solar system. I think the children will have a much easier time of it. They may even be fascinated by it. Our school has a contest. Any student (grades 2,3,4) who can tell their science teacher how many planets there are, why and how they know will get a prize. This is NOT in the curriculum but it is science in the news and it IS exciting!! September 6, 2006 6:21 PM If tiny Rhode Island can be a state, then why can't Pluto be a planet? Because we changed the definition? Does that make the story of how Pluto was discovered any less wonderous? With all the advances in science, we are finding more and more objects orbiting the sun, and now we are dividing them up in to planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, and...? September 6, 2006 3:37 PM The change in planet definition is just a matter of names. It does not change the object, nor my interest in it at all. Whether it is called a planet, a dwarf, or a pluton is really not all that important. I do think it makes the most sense to have 8 planets plus all the other solar system objects. If Pluto is accepted as a planet then there will eventually be over 100 other objects that fit that criterion of planet. How complex would the mnemonic be then? "My very extravagant mother" would have a lot of toppings on that pizza. To save Pluto as a planet is generally a result of resistance to change. The move to keep Pluto's designation as a planet is more a product of sentiment than of sound scientific reasoning. Remember that Ceres was once thought to be a planet too until a new class of solar system objects was invented called asteroids. September 6, 2006 3:33 PM I think that Pluto should be known as a dwarf planet. A planet, just the same. Let's add the other dwarf planets and include them in study as other space objects. September 6, 2006 2:39 PM at the time when someone (man)decided on the three criteria that qualify an astronomical body as a planet their telescopes and calculations told them that Pluto was in fact a planet.soon our telescopes and calculations will be so far more advanced than our intelligence that we will never be able to teach our children anything for fear that fact will become fiction so that a grad student can write his thesis paper on it.so here's to "maybe";" & "i don't know" son maybe that is the sun",the moon, the car, mommy,the dog.Maybe a grad student will tell us what is fact and what is fiction...someday,"maybe".how sad... "maybe" ... September 6, 2006 12:06 PM In management, we call what the scientific community has done as "majoring in minors." Apparently they don't have anything better to do... I guess they've already found the cure for all the disastrous diseases but haven't informed us of them yet! September 6, 2006 11:06 AM Leave Pluto alone as a planet. It has been labeled as a planet for sooooooooo long. It is not a life or death situation so leave it alone. September 6, 2006 9:46 AM Lo que nuestros ninos deben conocer es que nuestro sistema solar es mas que 8 planetas y un Sol; si Pluton cambia de planeta a planeta enano es cuestion de definicion, eso mismo le sucedio a Ceres hace poco mas de un siglo, pero siguen alli, igual que muchos otros objetos como asteroides, satelites, cometas, etc. September 6, 2006 9:17 AM I think the real reason they want to exclude Pluto is because the poor little planet defies evolutionary explanation, & you only have to read a little of the evolutionary dogma to realize that it's the most important thing to them, period. They will ignore whatever scientific data they need to in order to persevere in their belief system. Just read some of their journals & you'll see what I mean. September 6, 2006 8:22 AM well i think pluto is a planet cause thats the planet of my month! September 6, 2006 7:47 AM We have to draw the line somewhere! Pluto is so different from the other eight (it's orbit is weird, it's much smaller than the rest, it's icy) that it fits much better in a different category. September 6, 2006 7:02 AM I'll go with the International Astronomer's Union since they know more than I on the subject. If Pluto does not meet the 3 requirements then seems to me it should not be a planet. Worrying about how children will memorize the planet names seems a pretty ludicrous reason to keep Pluto a planet. Plus, we need to LEARN the names of the planets, NOT memorize them. I really don't think school children or adults are going to have a problem learning just 8 names, instead of 9, or remembering that Pluto is no longer considered a planet. I trust your just trying to put a funny twist on this and are not really serious! September 6, 2006 6:03 AM I'm just tired of "man" trying to change this world. If we just learn to fix things that needs to be fixed instead of those that don't then maybe our world would be a better place for everyone. Let's make a difference in changing the things that are necessary to help this world in which we live and work together. Thank you. September 6, 2006 5:30 AM Removing Pluto is the dumbest thing our so called "scientific community" has ever done. Marlene Groennert |
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