Posts Tagged ‘planets’

Pluto

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

2006 was a sad year for astronomy: it was the year astronomers ruled that Pluto is not planet.

Putting Pluto ‘up to 88’ makes me want to cry, but Pluto is really no different from any celebrity. In the 60’s-80’s the space race put Pluto in limelight. It’s fame trickled off but it still had a nice B-list stint in the 90’s. Pluto was never as big as the Moon or Mars or the Sun, but it was right in there with Jupiter and Saturn in that second tier of cool planets, and an an untouchable lone-wolf.

And now that I think about it, the wackest planet is probably Neptune. Who the fuck cares Neptune? Your spot is weak next to Jupiter’s and Saturn completely pwns your rings. You’re not even good for jokes like your neighbor Uranus. You may be the farthest planet in our Solar System, but you are definitely no Pluto.

Check out astrophysicist Michael Brown argue with the great Neil DeGrasse Tyson on whether Pluto is a planet