PlutoThe Former Planet
Image Credit: NASA composite image
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Moons of Pluto
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Why Is Pluto No Longer a Planet?
Dr. McAlister was a member of the Union and voted against the change, partly to honor the discoverer of Pluto, Clyde Tombaugh. Both agreed that Pluto was an oddity as a planet, being smaller than Earth's moon and having a very strange orbit. The 3000 member Union considered the fact that there are other objects in our solar system that are even larger than Pluto and not called planets. Dr. Henry commented that the change clears the way for the study and classification of other objects out in the farthest parts of the solar system. With all the discussion, the Georgia State Magazine published a humorous Q&A article in the spring of 2007 with the above image which is credited to Meg Buscema. One of the other terms being used to describe Pluto is "ice dwarf", so it remains to be seen what the long-term designation will be. But it is a planet no longer. It may be classified as part of the Kuiper belt of icy objects out past the orbit of Neptune. |
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