Pluto's demotion-There were '9'

Not be left behind the least controversial field of Astronomy and Solar system has also got into the thick of controversy. The trigger was the decision of the world Astronomy body made up of eminent scientists that it was time for Pluto to be downsized to that of a dwarf planet and the reasons were bit vague. Pluto's gravitational force is not big enough to be called a planet and its oblong orbit overlaps that of Neptune though Pluto still satisfies the two basic criteria’s namely orbiting the Sun and having its own internal gravitational force. So the nearest planet to the earth at 4.2 Billion miles and the farthest from Sun would go into history after 76 years of existence

But the best part of the whole episode were the comments of the 94 year old widow of Tom Baugh who found Pluto in 1930

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/08/24/pluto.widow.reut/index.html


'Science is a progressive thing and if you're going to be a scientist and put your neck out, you're apt to have it bitten upon'

There was one more from a 10 year old Delhi student

"it is like a family of brothers and sisters and asking one member to suddenly leave for no reason is sad and I feel like crying for Pluto'

Words of wisdom indeed!

RK