Down to 8 Planets: Pluto Gets an Umbrella

by Devanshu Mehta

The solar system has lost a planet today, as the International Astronomical Union decided to demote “pluto to Dwarf planet”:http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/08/24/pluto.ap/index.html?section=cnn_topstories status. So now “My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine” just doesn’t make any sense.

Although astronomers applauded after the vote, Jocelyn Bell Burnell — a specialist in neutron stars from Northern Ireland who oversaw the proceedings — urged those who might be “quite disappointed” to look on the bright side.

“It could be argued that we are creating an umbrella called ‘planet’ under which the dwarf planets exist,” she said, drawing laughter by waving a stuffed Pluto of Walt Disney fame beneath a real umbrella.

Well, at least they have a sense of humor about it.