At this time, when we are discovering more types of exoplanets than we could have imagined, we should be broadening, not narrowing the concept of planet. If that means we have 200 planets in our solar system, then so be it. Memorization is not as important as is understanding the characteristics of the different types of planets. So we could divide the broad term planet into subcategories such as terrestrial planets, gas giants, ice giants, dwarf planets, etc. Yet all would still be planets. This classification would acknowledge the significant differences between inert, shapeless asteroids, and objects like Ceres, Pluto, and Eris that have achieved hydrostatic equilibrium.

Telling people to “get over” a decision we believe is scientifically wrong and was established by a closed, backroom process is ridiculous and nothing more than a personal attack, which is what people make when they have no arguments to back up their viewpoints.

As for the 11-year-old in Catholic school being taught that we have only eight planets, she and her classmates are not getting the whole truth, which is a disservice to them. Children can understand that some debates remain open, that different experts can observe the same facts and reach different conclusions. Teaching only one view is teaching dogma, plain and simple. Schools should use this opportunity to help children learn that some issues are open-ended and have more than one answer and that the process by which decisions are made are as important as those decisions themselves.

(Though still not exactly “years ago” . . . )

At least I got the August part right . . .

“Pluto was kicked out years ago.”

More like six months . . .

[[How about: “my very enormous member can jam sperm under nancy’s puffy exit.”]]

I think Nancy may just slap you upside the head when you get home.

Yeah, Pluto could be defined as both, as well as Eris and Ceres. I just think that things as they are now work better when you consider Ceres to be an asteroid (based on size, composition and location relative to other asteroids), Eris and Pluto as KBOs (again, based on the same). Then Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars as terrestrial planets (as they are rocky worlds in areas that are, relatively speaking, empty and located closer to the center what was once the proto-planetaru disk, where the heavier elements that make them up would be expected) and Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune as the gas giants (with their own traits and characteristic that should be obvious).

So far, the biggest reason that I’m always hearing as to keeping Pluto a planet is always more of a dogmatic answer rather than one based on observations or data (i.e. “Pluto will always be a planet to me!”). Maybe I’m just not listening to the right people, or the right people’s voices are being drowned out be the swaft of uneducated people who just cry “Pluto will always be a planet to me!” (as a Christian who believes in a figurative genesis and that religion should be changed to support science discovers, I know how that feels). Maybe when the essays in Seattle are done, they’ll post some. I think that it’s marvelous that they are getting kids to look at this critically, even if it is in opposition to my personal preference. I’m just hoping that the essays, at least from the high schoolers, have some real thought behind them.

Some other things:
1) Concerning Jupiter clearing out it’s orbit arguement – This is specifically why I think that the definition is poor or should be dropped altogether and we just look at all this planet crap on a case by case basis. Yeah, there as asteroids in Jupiter’s orbit which have not been “cleared out”, but they are being herded by Jupiter’s gravity. It’s clear who in control in Jupiter’s neighborhood.
2) Yeah, if we want to pick nits, the definition only applies to the solar system. But come on! Like you can’t easily take this definition and use it when looking at other systems? Wow, that’s narrow minded.

I think that the kicker question is this: If Pluto were found today, knowing what we know now about KBOs, would it be a planet? I doubt it. The only reason why Eris is being questioned about planet or KBO is because its larger that Pluto.