Roughly 2,500 scientists and astronomers met in Prauge yesterday to make a decision that would quite literally change the face of the universe as we know it.
The majority of scientists voted in favor of stripping Pluto of it’s planetary title, demoting it to a secondary category. Now the universe we have come to know and love has a mere 8 major planetary bodies. Does anyone else feel a little robbed? They better hurry up and find a replacement, slackers. It’s been how long since they found a planet? sheesh. Get to it guys!
One thing that really sucks about this change is that all text books now have to be updated to reflect the universal change of 9 to 8 planetary objects. Anyone thats been through the school system in the last 10 years can tell you just how out-of-date the textbooks are already and I highly doubt this change is going to make it into most textbooks for a good 5 – 10 years, at least if you go by the usual textbook replacement time line.
Along with this change that stripped Pluto of its planetary title, the new definition could see the solar system topping out at nearly 50 planets, as numerous planetary objects now fall into the “planet” definition.
In order for a celestial object to be classified as a planet now, it must comply with the following points:
- It must orbit the sun.
- It must be large enough to take a nearly roun shape.
- It must have cleared it’s orbit of other objects.
Pluto does not fit these guidelines as it’s orbit crosses over the orbit of Neptune. Pluto will now be grouped into a new category defined as Dwarf Planets.
Read More @ BBC News
