Pluto is Out

On August 24th 2006, Pluto was ousted from the club of planets. The International Astronomical Union voted in to classify it as a dwarf planet, no longer able to run with the big guys. While articles on the scientific facts of the decision have been written, I find it interesting that there’s an emotional side to this. I had been unaware that Pluto’s status as a planet was in imminent danger until I was informed that the decision had been made. My first reaction was, poor Pluto. It might seem strange to feel a sense of pity for an inanimate object, and one so far away, but I’ve found my reaction isn’t unique. While I haven’t heard any reports of people rending their garments, some have reacted to the news as if a friend had been insulted, or they just saw the kid who nobody wants on their team.

Why have average people given the news more than a second thought? Aside from astronomers and scientists, does Pluto’s status really matter once we leave school? It may simply be that it’s hard to see something change that has been a part of our lives from childhood. Change usually comes with a period of adjustment. We may not be called to name all the planets, unless during a game of trivia, but they are a part of our childhood and our school days. They give us a sense of nostalgia.

There’s something about Pluto itself. Disney has made the name a part of pop culture. If we’re not thinking of the newly demoted planet, the name Pluto most likely conjures up images of the yellow dog owned by Mickey Mouse. How many people would automatically think of the Roman god of the underworld? Pluto is also an object of extremes. Until now, it was the planet that was the smallest, coldest, and farthest away from the sun.

Besides Pluto’s distinctive traits, it’s also sad to see a group broken up. It’s like finding out six dwarves kicked the seventh one out. Or one of the fifty states was voted out.

Not everyone takes a sentimental view of Pluto’s demotion. The astronomers who made the decision are being pragmatic. Science must march on with new information. If Pluto doesn’t match the criteria for planets, it should not be classified as one, even if some might feel it’s mean to pick on the scrappy celestial body so far away. For some, the news is probably nothing more than a less than interesting newsbite.

Soon enough, most people won’t give Pluto a second thought. It will slip into an interesting piece of trivia, another thing to add to the Beloit College Mindset List. It’s a list that looks at what college freshmen will accept as having always been true. According the list, the class of 2010 has lived in a world where “reality shows have always been on television,” and “Google has always been a verb.” I’m sure “Pluto has never been a planet” will join the list. I’m also sure that, at least for awhile, many of us will still list Pluto as a planet if asked to name them. That is, until we stop and remember.