The Pluto Debate Continues...

For those who don't realize it, scientists are constantly debating and redefining our work.  Scientists gather evidence through repeated trials and replicated investigations, and we learn something new.  We analyze data, and find new meaning.  We discover new knowledge.


Back in 2006, scientists at the International Astronomical Union voted to demote Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet.  Three days ago, scientists at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics had their own, unofficial, vote and decided that Pluto should again be considered a planet.  You can view the entire debate on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/ObsNights under the "What is a Planet?" video.

I was on board with the redefining of planetary bodies back in 2006.  I tend to embrace change when it happens in science after a tragic mistake as a teacher telling my students that bacteria did not have cytoskeletons in 2008.  I had not been up to date with scientific knowledge.  Turns out that after graduating from USF back in 2005, scientists had in fact discovered bacterial cytoskeletons.  I had to return to my class and own up to my mistake, of course with a full lesson cytoskeletons and their functions in all cell types.

However, after watching the video from the CfA, I'm leaning back for Pluto's return to planetary status.  It will mean a huge increase in the number of planets in our solar system, including the eccentric oddballs.  But I read stories constantly of exo-planets with eccentric orbits.  I'm back on the Pluto is a planet side of the debate.  Where are you?

Pluto photo above courtesy of http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Pluto.jpg/743px-Pluto.jpg