THIS REPORT HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY
KARIN FULLINGTON NIKI DEGROOT
REPORT J714
2015
THE PLUTO REPORT
INTRODUCTION
RESEARCH QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS 1. We are curious about the opposition surrounding Pluto’s astronomical reclassification from planet to dwarf planet. 2. Because we want to learn why people oppose the reclassification 3. In order to help our readers understand if Pluto’s reclassification is justified
Cover image - Photo Credit: Flickr user Val Klavans, creativecommons.org
Pluto
was discovered in 1930 and classified as the ninth planet of the Milky Way solar system. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) defined a “planet” as meeting three conditions. The IAU decided that Pluto did not meet all of the conditions and reclassified it as a dwarf planet along with other objects in space. This decision was met by opposition and resistance in the scientific and public community around the world. A public debate in October of 2014 at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics came to an overwhelming agreement that Pluto should be considered a planet. The world would be interested in this topic because Pluto has been considered an official planet since 1930 only to be redefined in 2006. People who have grown up believing there are nine planets must now accept only eight. Their traditional beliefs have changed. Some opposing scientists feel as if there is not enough astrological evidence to properly define a planet, so Pluto should not be defined.
RESEARCH CONCEPTS QUESTIONS WE HOPE TO ANSWER • Why does the IAU have the power to define a planet?
Science Culture History
• How was Pluto considered a planet initially? • What is the origin of the opposition? • Is the opposition justified or the reclassification? Fullington, DeGroot Final Report
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SEARCH TERMS SCIENCE Pluto, planet, Astrology, Astrophysics, space, Milky Way, Kuiper belt, solar system, dwarf planet, star, comet, asteroid, moon, Charon, sun, classification, reclassification, planet definition, ninth planet, history, discovery, statistics, orbit, rotation, structure, composition, size, gravitational force, distance, observation, New Horizons, NASA, Hubble Telescope, spacecraft, Lowell Observatory, International Astrological Union, IAU, IAU decision, planet definition, Venetia Phair, Pluto opposition, Harvard, scientific evidence, scientific opposition, debate, reinstatement, denounce, scientific heresy, controversy, Owen Gingerich, Dimitar Sasselov, PlutoCharon orbit, David Jewitt, Rachel Smith, classification, five moons, Nix moon, Hydra moon, P4 moon, P5 moon, worldwide scientific body of experts, Planet X, Clyde Tombaugh, Keplar, Kerberos moon
Pluto, planet, opposition, debate, controversy, smallest planet, #plutoisdead, Prague, solar system mobiles, mousepads, t-shirts, Big Bang Theory TV Show, Stephen Hawking, NOVA, PBS, NatGeo, National Geographic, Carl Sagan, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Cosmos, Pluto articles, #ReinstatePluto, Owen Gingerich, debate, public debate, 2003 UB313, documentary, planethood, Facebook, Twitter, Pluto, discovery effect, ninth planet, reaction, #New Horizons, #Pluto, #Kuiper Belt, Alan Stern, Mike Brown, Caltech, solar system bodies, reinstate
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Photo Credit: Flickr user wstera2, creativecommons.org
CULTURE
Pluto, status revoked, public outcry, mnemonic device, MVEMJSUNP, nine planets, eight planets, lies, eccentric orbit, petition to reinstate, petition, demoted, demotion, overturn, astronomers, committees, kicked out, Radio Freethinker, Skeptic Magazine, Fruit Maven, Pluto Planet Day, Pluto Traumatic Stress Disorder, emotional connection, #NeverForgetPluto
HISTORY Pluto, planet, space, Kuiper belt, coldest planet, smallest planet, Neptune, Uranus, NASA, spaceship, solar system, blue planet, furthest
planet from the sun, 1930 discovery, Lowell Observatory, ice, icy, cold, dark, asteroids, science, science literacy, space exploration,Galileo, Galileo Galilei, 1615 Roman Inquisition, recant sun from solar system, father of modern astronomy, Clyde Tombaugh, David Jewitt, #New Horizons Mission, asteroids, asteroid belt, particle, dust, meteorite, classification, astronomy vocabulary, rock bodies, space object, definitions, define, Planet X, Kepler, February 18 1930, Percival Lowell, Venetia Phair, Venetia Burney
PRIMARY SUPPORTING PLANETARY STATUS
SOURCES
● Video of Harvard debate and audience vote (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RNGSuFqmro) ● Planetary Politics: Protecting Pluto (http://www.space. com/2855-planetary-politics-protecting-pluto.html) ● California
Claims IAU Commits Scientific Heresy, Declares Pluto a Planet and March 13, 2007 as Pluto Planet Day, Legislative Council’s Digest HR 86 (http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/05-06/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/hr_36_bill_20060824_introduced.html) ● Illinois Legislature Declares Pluto a Planet, March (http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/SR/PDF/09600SR0046lv.pdf)
13, 2009 as Pluto Planet Day
● New Mexico Legislature Declares Pluto a Planet, March 13, 2007 (http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/07%20Regular/memorials/house/HJM054.html)
Pluto Planet Day
• Reopening the Pluto Debate: What effect should public opinion have on scientific fact?(https://politicsperceptionphilosophyphysics.wordpress.com/2014/11/09/reopening-the-pluto-debatewhat-effect-should-public-opinion-have-on-scientific-fact/) ● Chicago Daily Tribune, Discovery of Pluto, (http://mitchellarchives.com/the-discovery-of-pluto.htm)
March 14, 1930
● Experts and audience contest Pluto’s ‘dwarf planet’ status (http://phys.org/news/2014-09-experts-audience-contest-pluto-dwarf.html)
PRIMARY AGAINST PLANETARY STATUS ● Pluto,
perception & planetary politics (http://www2.ess.ucla.edu/~jewitt/papers/2007/JL07.pdf)
● IAU direct definition and reclassification of Pluto (http://www.iau.org/static/resolutions/Resolution_GA26-5-6.pdf) ● New Horizons, NASA’s (http://pluto.jhuapl.edu)
Pluto-Kuiper Belt Mission
● NASA Missions (http://science.nasa.gov/missions/new-horizons/) ● LIVE
lecture at NC Museum of Natural Sciences: Comets ... and Why Pluto is Not a
Planet Dr. Rachel Smith, Director at Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Lab
LIVE lecture at NC Museum of Natural Sciences: The New Horizons Mission: On the Threshold of the Pluto System Dr. John Spencer, Southwest Research Institute ●
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SOURCES Continued Primary Sources: Interviews ● Dr. Rachel Smith, Director at Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Lab ● Dr. John Spencer, Southwest Research Institute ● Dr. David Jewitt, Astrophysicist, UCLA ● Dr. Donald Barrie, Geology Professor, UCSD ● Dr. Dimitar Sasselov, Director of the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative ● Dr. Owen Gingerich, Chairman of the IAU planet definition committee ● Dr. Gareth Williams, Associate Director of the Minor Planet Center ● David A. Aguilar, Director of Public Affairs for the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics ● Christine Pulliam, Public Affairs Specialist for the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
SECONDARY ● International Astronomical Union (http://www.iau.org/) ● IAU decision summary on Pluto (http://www.iau.org/public/themes/pluto/) ● Summary of the Harvard debate (http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/2014-25) ● NASA’s overview of Pluto (https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Pluto) ● NASA: What is Pluto? (http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/ what-is-pluto-k4.html#.VMKwty4vPig) ● Documentary: Passport to Pluto and Beyond (http://youtu.be/faRsejEXwl0) ● NASA: New Horizons Mission to Pluto (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/index. html#.VMKxBC4vPig) ● NASA: Pluto, Classification and Exploration (http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/whyweexplore/Why_We_23_prt.htm) ● Universe Today: Interesting Facts about Pluto (http://www.universetoday.com/13872/interesting-facts-about-pluto/) ● History: Pluto Discovered (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pluto-discovered) ● USA Today: Wait, What? Pluto a planet again? http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/10/02/pluto-planet-solar-system/16578959/ ● Disgruntled Blogger, Fruit Maven’s Citrus Project (http://fruitmaven.com/2012/02/the-solar-system-project/) ●Planetary Politics: Protecting Pluto (http://www.space.com/2855-planetary-politics-protecting-pluto.html) ● Arrival of New Horizons at Pluto July 15, 2015 (http://youtu.be/_LBJz4TxG0I) Fullington, DeGroot Final Report
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SOURCES ● New Horizons lined up for final approach to Pluto (http://spaceflightnow.com/2015/01/15/new-horizonslined-up-for-final-approach-to-pluto/) ● Nine Planets (http://nineplanets.org/) ● NASA ADS (http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html) ● The girl who named a planet (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4596246.stm)
Books ● The Pluto Files : the rise and fall of America’s favorite planet by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, 2009 (http://lccn.loc.gov/2008040436) ● Let’s Explore Pluto and Beyond by Helen and David Orme, 2007 (http://lccn.loc.gov/2006035333) ● The Dwarf Planet Pluto by Kristi Lew, 2010 (http://lccn.loc.gov/2008037272) Pluto’s Secret (http://airandspace.si.edu/research/publications/detail.cfm?id=240)
Articles/Journals ● Scholarly Journal article (p.4-5) on the credentials of IAU and the assembly that defined planet (http://www.iau.org/static/publications/ga_newspapers/20060812.pdf) ● NASA: Hubble Telescope Finds Potential Kuiper Belt (http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/october/nasa-s-hubble-telescope-finds-potential-kuiper-belt-targets-fornew-horizons/#.VMKxzy4vPig) ● Science Daily: NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft begins first stages of Pluto encounter (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150115163449.htm) ● Universe Today: Why Pluto is No Longer a Planet (http://www.universetoday.com/13573/why-pluto-is-no-longer-a-planet/) ● USA TODAY: Wait, what? Pluto a planet again? (http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/10/02/pluto-planet-solar-system/16578959/) ● Science Daily: Trans-Neptunian objects suggest that there are more dwarf planets in our solar system (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150115083036.htm) ● Close Encounter with Distant Pluto Getting under Way (http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/25/us/new-horizons-encounter-pluto/)
TERTIARY Library of Congress IAU.org website search NASA.gov website search Mitchell Archives Space.com Google Google Scholar Wikipedia Pluto Entry (references) Wikipedia Kepler Missions Entry
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/ http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/pluto.html http://www.science.gov http://www.lpi.usra.edu/ http://atmospheres.gsfc.nasa.gov/publications/index.php http://science.gsfc.nasa.gov http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/ http://airandspace.si.edu/research/publications/list.cfm
RESEARCH HISTORY
N
early eighty years ago an astronomer working at the Lowell Observatory in the United States made a discovery that would ultimately initiate a dramatic change in the way we look at our Solar System. The young astronomer was Clyde Tombaugh, an observing assistant working at the observatory made famous by the great astronomer Percival Lowell. Tombaugh was continuing the search for an elusive planet – planet X – that Lowell had believed (incorrectly) to be responsible for perturbing the orbits of Uranus and Neptune.(6,11) Within a year, after spending numerous nights at the telescope exposing photographic plates and months tediously scanning them for signs of a planet, Tombaugh saw what he was looking for. At around 4pm on the afternoon of 18 February 1930 Tombaugh began comparing two plates taken in January that year showing a region in the constellation of Gemini. As he flicked from one plate to the other, trying to see if something moved slightly between the two (the tell-tale sign of the planet he was hunting), he spotted something. In one part of the frame a small object flitted a few millimeters as he switched between the two plates. Tombaugh had found his new planet!(6,11) Pluto, once believed to be the ninth planet, is discovered at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, by astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh. The existence of an unknown ninth planet was first proposed by Percival Lowell, who theorized that wobbles in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune were
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caused by the gravitational pull of an unknown planetary body. Lowell calculated the approximate location of the hypothesized ninth planet and searched for more than a decade without success. However, in 1929, using the calculations of Powell and W.H. Pickering as a guide, the search for Pluto was resumed
appropriately given the Roman name for the god of the underworld in Greek mythology. Pluto’s average distance from the sun is nearly four billion miles, and it takes approximately 248 years to complete one orbit. It also has the most elliptical and tilted
at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona. On February 18, 1930, Tombaugh discovered the tiny, distant planet by use of a new astronomic technique of photographic plates combined with a blink microscope. His finding was confirmed by several other astronomers, and on March 13, 1930--the anniversary of Lowell’s birth and of William Hershel’s discovery of Uranus--the discovery of Pluto was publicly announced.9
orbit of any planet, and at its closest point to the sun it passes inside the orbit of Neptune, the eighth planet.9
With a surface temperature estimated at approximately -360 Fahrenheit, Pluto was
After its discovery, some astronomers questioned whether Pluto had sufficient mass to affect the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. In 1978, James Christy and Robert Harrington discovered Pluto’s only known moon, Charon, which was determined to have a diameter of 737 miles to Pluto’s
RESEARCH 1,428 miles. Together, it was thought that Pluto and Charon formed a double-planet system, which was of ample enough mass to cause wobbles in Uranus’ and Neptune’s orbits. In August 2006, however, the International Astronomical Union announced that Pluto would no longer be considered a planet, due to new rules that said planets must “clear the neighborhood around its orbit.” Since Pluto’s oblong orbit overlaps that of Neptune, it was disqualified.9 The startling discovery of Pluto was made at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, named for Dr. Percival Lowell, who mathematically predicted the existence of a ninth planet in 1905. The Tribune quotes reports as saying “Although its size has not been determined definitely, it is believed it may be bigger than Jupiter, largest member of the solar family, and 1,200 times larger than the earth. The
PLUTO FACTS Discovered in 1930, Pluto was long considered our solar system’s ninth planet. But after the discovery of similar intriguing worlds deeper in the distant Kuiper Belt, icy Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet. This new class of worlds may offer some of the best evidence about the origins of our solar system.2
10 Need-to-Know Things About Pluto 1. If the sun were as tall as a typical front door, Earth would be the size of a nickel and dwarf planet Pluto would be about the size of the head of a pin. 2. Pluto orbits our sun, a star, at an average distance of 3.7 billion miles (5.9 billion kilometers) or 39.5 AU. 3. One day on Pluto takes about 153 hours. That’s the time it takes for Pluto to rotate or spin once. Pluto makes a complete orbit around the sun (a year in Plutonian time) in about 248 Earth years. 4. It is thought that Pluto has a rocky core surrounded by a mantle of water ice with other ices coating its surface. 5. Pluto has five known moons. Pluto is sometimes called a double-planet system due to the fact that its moon Charon is quite large and orbits close to its parent planet. 6. There are no known rings around Pluto. 7. Pluto has a thin, tenuous atmosphere that expands when it comes closer to the sun and collapses as it moves farther away -- similar to a comet. 8. NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft is the first mission sent to encounter the Pluto-system and other members of the Kuiper Belt. 9. Scientists do not think Pluto can support life as we know it. Although, some scientists believe it is possible Pluto could possess a hidden ocean under its surface.
announcement said it is certainly no smaller than the earth.” The article is continued inside with a drawing of the new trajectory. Obviously, Pluto is extremely cold, but the report is dead wrong about it being “bigger than Jupiter”–talk about a stretch! Recently, Pluto was downgraded to a large asteroid leaving the Solar System with but eight true planets!10
10. Pluto was considered a planet from 1930, when it was first discovered, until 2006. The discovery of similar-sized worlds deeper in the distant Kuiper Belt sparked a debate which resulted in a new official definition of a planet. The new definition did not include Pluto.2
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RESEARCH
OTHER PLANET DISCOVERIES Eris was first spotted in 2003 during a Palomar Observatory survey of the outer solar system by Mike Brown, a professor of planetary astronomy at the California Institute of Technology; Chad Trujillo of the Gemini Observatory; and David Rabinowitz of Yale University. The discovery was confirmed in January 2005, and was submitted as a possible 10th planet of our solar system since it was the first object in the Kuiper Belt found to be bigger than Pluto.12
Eris first appeared to be larger than Pluto, a discovery that triggered debate in the scientific community and eventually led to the International Astronomical Union’s decision in 2006 to clarify the definition of a planet. Recent observations indicate Eris may actually be a little smaller than Pluto. Pluto, Eris and other similar objects are now classified as dwarf planets. They also are called plutoids in recognition of Pluto’s special place in our history. Since Eris is too
WHO ARE THE IAU? The International Astronomical Union, or IAU, was founded in 1919 by the International Research Council, [now ICSU). Its mission “to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects through international cooperation” is little exchanged since 1919.The language of science binds IAU members, strengthened by a shared vision to better understand the Universe and a love of astronomy.5 The IAU decided to create a committee to gather opinions from a broad range of scientific interests, with input from professional astronomers, planetary scientists, historians, science publishers, writers and educators. Thus the Planet Definition Committee of the IAU Executive Committee was formed.6 Its individual members - structured in Divisions, Commissions, and Working groups — are professional astronomers from all over the world, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, and active in professional research and education in astronomy. The IAU has 11433 Individual Members in 96 countries worldwide. Of those 73 are National Members. In addition, the IAU collaborates with various scientific organizations all over the world.6 The General Assembly of the IAU is a complex event gathering a few thousands of specialists in astronomy, astrophysics and related fields.5 The IAU is composed of the following Members:6
National Members Organizations representing
national professional astronomical communities, desiring to promote their participation in international astronomy and supporting the objective of the Union, may adhere to the Union as National Members. Organizations desiring to join the Union as National Members while developing professional astronomy in the community they represent may do so on an interim
small and too far to see clearly, scientists used its tiny moon Dysnomia to measure it. Dysnomia has a nearly circular orbit lasting about 16 days. All the asteroids in the asteroid belt would easily fit inside Eris. However, Eris, like Pluto, is still smaller than the Earth’s Moon.12 January 15, 2015: There could be at least two unknown dwarf planets hidden well beyond Pluto,
basis. They may later become National Members on a permanent basis.
Individual Members Professional scientists
whose research is directly relevant to some branch of astronomy are eligible for election as Individual Members. Individual Members are, normally, admitted by the Executive Committee on the proposal of a National Member. Information on the qualification for membership and application procedure can be found here. Individual Members listed in the IAU directory have a valid, public email (so are considered as “voting members” in the IAU database), and are affiliated to at least one Division. A list of IAU Individual Members per Division, Commission, etc. is available by selecting the desired IAU body (“Science” menu on the IAU home page: Division, Commissions, etc.), and clicking on “Division Members” (etc.). These lists are regularly updated by the Secretariat in the IAU database. A list of the IAU Individual Members per country can be found by first selecting the country in the National Member list, clicking on the country, then on the “Total members” menu appearing at the top of the country page.
Associates The IAU status of “Associate” is offered
by invitation exclusively, to individuals who are not IAU members, but are actively involved in the work of the IAU, as members of a Working Group, a Commission, or a Division. The status is temporary and must be reconfirmed at the time of the General Assemblies. Associates are appointed by the Working Group, Commission, or Division with which they are working, according to the IAU Working Rules (Sect XII), and are listed on the IAU web site as “Associates”. The list of Associates is available here, and is maintained by the Secretaries of the relevant Divisions in coordination with the IAU Secretariat.6
RESEARCH whose gravitational influence determines the orbits and strange distribution of objects observed beyond Neptune. This has been revealed by numerical calculations. If confirmed, this hypothesis would revolutionize solar system models. Astronomers have spent decades debating whether some dark trans-Plutonian planet remains to be discovered within the solar system. According to scientists not only one, but at least two planets must exist to explain the orbital behavior of extreme transNeptunian objects.13 With so many Trans-Neptunian Objects being found, it seemed inevitable that one or more might be found to rival Pluto in size. On the night of the 21 October 2003, Mike Brown from Caltech, Chad Trujillo from the Gemini Observatory and David Rabinowitz from Yale University were using a telescope and camera at the Palomar Observatory in the US to search the edge of the Solar System. That night
they imaged a region of sky showing an object moving relative to the background stars. Later analysis showed that they had discovered another cold world, around 2500 km across, orbiting the Sun. Subsequent observations showed that the new object, initially named 2003 UB313 according to the International Astronomical Union’s protocol on the initial designation of such objects, was more massive than Pluto and that it too had a satellite (read more). With an object larger and more massive than Pluto now beyond Neptune and ever more of these Trans-Neptunian Objects being discovered, astronomers were beginning to ask: “Just what constitutes a planet?”6
IAU CLASSIFICATION OF PLUTO The IAU further resolves
Pluto is a “dwarf planet” by the above definition and is recognized as the prototype of a new category of Trans-Neptunian Objects.1
IAU DEFINITION OF A PLANET The IAU has been responsible for the naming and nomenclature of planetary bodies and their satellites since the early 1900s. As Professor Ron Ekers, past president of the IAU, explains: Such decisions and recommendations are not enforceable by any national or international law; rather they establish conventions that are meant to help our understanding of astronomical objects and processes. Hence, IAU recommendations should rest on well-established scientific facts and have a broad consensus in the community concerned.(read the full article on page 4 of the IAU GA Newspaper) Contemporary observations are changing our understanding of planetary systems, and it is important that our nomenclature for objects reflect our current understanding. This applies, in particular, to the designation “planets”. The word “planet” originally described “wanderers” that were known only as moving lights in the sky. Recent discoveries lead us to create a new definition, which we can make using currently available scientific information(1) The IAU therefore resolves that planets and other bodies, except satellites, in our Solar System be defined into three distinct categories in the following way:
1. A planet is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (c) has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit. 2. A “dwarf planet” is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, (c) has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit, and (d) is not a satellite. 3. All other objects,except satellites, orbiting the Sun shall be referred to collectively as “Small Solar System Bodies.”1 Fullington, DeGroot Final Report
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RESEARCH
DEMOTION OPPOSITION When eleven-year-old Venetia Burney lovingly bestowed the name “Pluto” for the mysterious icy world discovered in 1930, its fate was sealed: this newly named world was now a part of our solar family. Venetia was the granddaughter of an Oxford librarian who shared his love of astronomy with her. She suggested the name Pluto, who was the Roman God of the Underworld, and who was able to make himself invisible. Clyde Tombaugh liked the proposal because it started with the initials of original discoverer of Planet X, Percival Lowell. Even before Venetia died at age 90 in 2009, she 14
us to see this distant dwarf planet with new eyes, therefore it is the struggle between the knowledgeable experts and the impassioned critics. As stated, the IAU demoted the status of Pluto at a conference in Prague in 2006, however it was held on the last day and only 424 astronomers participated in the vote. Alan Stern, the lead scientist on NASA’s robotic mission to Pluto lambasted the ruling as “embarrassing.” He did not vote in the ruling.16
DEMOTION SYMPATHIZERS A deft search on the internet yields many results of a fiercely loyal following of Pluto Supporters. Social media has allowed anyone the opportunity to use their voice, no matter if they are informed or just enraged. Social media has established hashtags and search terms in all the major media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. Results for terms such as #NotAPlanet, #NeverForgetPluto, and #PlutoIsDead all return interesting results. A
Fold-out solar system poster, National Geographic, 1990.
knew about the ongoing debate of the status of Pluto14: “At my age, I’ve been largely indifferent [to the debate]; though I suppose I would prefer it to remain a planet.” Perhaps it is ironic that our former planet be named Pluto, after the invisible Roman God of the Underworld. This little distant world comes sharply into focus and then dims into the background after 76 years. The debate is highly emotionally charged for many folks. Technology has allowed
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The IAU has been IAU voting on status of Pluto. Still from IAU conference What is a the official naming Planet? body for astronomy since 1919, and have adopted Facebook group calling policies that now regard Pluto themselves Reinstate to a secondary “dwarf planet” Pluto post often, though category. primarily about general astronomy. But perhaps most useful of all is the hashtag
RESEARCH simply #Pluto. A dizzying array of results, up-to-the-minute, and fascinating debates on both sides of the argument. At least three states have voted to make March 14 Pluto Planet Day. From New Mexico’s State Senate, House Joint Memorial 54, 48th Legislature, first session of 2007: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that, as Pluto passes overhead through New Mexico’s excellent night skies, it be declared a planet and that March 13, 2007 be declared “Pluto Planet Day” at the legislature.22 Chicago Tribune articles from 1930 announcing the important historic discovery of Pluto as the ninth planet.
Pluto made a cameo on the TV hit, The Big Bang Theory in 2010. In an episode entitled The Apology Insufficiency, character Sheldon expresses his love for Pluto, and his dismay at it’s demoted status to Neil deGrasse Tyson: “I liked Pluto. Ergo, I do not like you.”23
Harvard Debate In 2006, when the International Astronomical Union voted on the definition of a “planet,” confusion resulted. Almost eight years later,
many astronomers and the public are still as uncertain about what a planet is as they were back then. Tonight, three different experts in planetary science will present each of their cases as to what a planet is or isn’t. And then, the audience gets to vote... is Pluto in or out?7 The HarvardSmithsonian Center for Astrophysics decided to revisit the question of “what is a planet?” On September 18th, they hosted a debate among three leading experts in planetary science, each of whom presented their case as to what a planet is or isn’t. The goal: to find a definition that the eager public audience could agree on.8 Science historian Dr. Owen Gingerich, who chaired the IAU planet definition committee, presented the historical viewpoint. Dr. Gareth Williams, associate director of the Minor Planet Center, presented the IAU’s viewpoint. And Dr. Dimitar Sasselov, director of the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative, presented the exoplanet scientist’s viewpoint8 Gingerich argued that “a planet is a culturally defined word that changes over time,” and that Pluto is a planet. Williams defended the IAU definition, which
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RESEARCH declares that Pluto is not a planet. And Sasselov defined a planet as “the smallest spherical lump of matter that formed around stars or stellar remnants,” which means Pluto is a planet.8 After these experts made their best case, the audience got to vote on what a planet is or isn’t and whether Pluto is in or out. The results are in, with no hanging chads in sight. According to the audience, Sasselov’s definition won the day, and Pluto IS a planet.8
DEMOTION SUPPORTERS Dr. Rachel Smith, Director of the Astronomy & Astrophysics Research Laboratory at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Appalachian State University provided candid answers to our research questions: Dr. Smith stressed that the reason the IAU has the power to define a planet is because they are the worldwide scientific body of experts in the field of astronomy.18 Smith explained that the reason Pluto was considered a planet initially was due to the fact it was a new object orbiting the sun, 18 therefore it got included in our solar system. When questioned about the ongoing opposition surrounding Pluto’s demotion, Smith said “we think this is a learning opportunity, using a tough love approach, because we cannot allow emotion to factor into this debate. Science is science18.” Smith went on to add that people will always have a conflict of opinion because science may challenge their belief systems: for example providing proof of climate change or species that split.18 Smith also gave her opinion if she thought the opposition was justified: “People get worked up with an emotional connection saying scientists are changing their minds! No, they are making discoveries based on new technologies never before available. I agree with the status demotion because
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I’m a scientist. Classification is naming things: it is a way to understand the world. I cannot have a problem with it.18 “Why are people arguing that Pluto IS a planet? Where is the outcry? Is their reasoning quantified, critical, or is it just their opinion. Or should a planet be defined in scientific or cultural terms?” 18 Dr. Smith also feels that the Kepler Missions have changed our definition of what a planet is. As of January 2015, Kepler and its followup observations have found 1,013 confirmed exoplanets in about 440 stellar systems, along with 3,199 unconfirmed planet candidates.15 Other quotes that support demoting Pluto:
DEMOTION SUPPORTER: Dr. Rachel Smith giving a talk at the NC Museum of Sciences Astronomy Days. The talk Smith gave centered on why Pluto is not a planet.
“When Pluto was by itself, it was easy to classify as a planet.” - John Spencer20 “Classification as a planet or dwarf planet is just vocabulary.” - John Spencer20 “Scientists are still going to study Pluto.” - David Jewitt21 “We use definitions to further our understanding. We are learning more and more everyday.” - Rachel Smith18 “A planet has to clear out a space around it with its mass . There are thousands of objects out there like Pluto.” - Rachel Smith18 “It is just about classifying.” Rachel Smith18
“Tradition is not a reason to justify: accept the classification system for ordering (i.e., species, asteroids, planets). - Rachel Smith18
THE CONFLICTED GEOLOGY PROFESSOR
San Diego Mesa College Physical Sciences Department Chair and Geology Professor Donald Barrie19 was the link to finding David Jewitt’s polarizing article “Pluto, Perception & Planetary Politics:” Barrie’s course website for Geology 101 turned up in a search for Jewitt’s paper. The search query showed an announcement guiding his students to read the article to learn more about the debate as a
RESEARCH homework assignment, however the link was actually no longer linked. Barrie introduces himself and announces a disclaimer: “I’m an educator, a geologist by profession, not an astronomer, and certainly not an expert in these matters. But…it’s a fun topic to ponder, so here are some thoughts!”19 He defines a planet having the same three characteristics : • Is in orbit around the Sun • Has sufficient mass to achieve hydrostatic equilibrium (a nearly round shape) • Has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit “This last criterion serves as the basis for demoting Pluto.
The problem is, it’s vague. Even Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Neptune haven’t cleared their orbits of debris, completely.16
in accordance with our categories. As the Jewitt article points out, a similar situation exists with regard to the concept of “continent”—large land masses on planet Earth.19 There’s no rigorous
definition of what a continent is, but that hasn’t mattered as far as the science of geology goes. Similarly, whatever we call Pluto, it’s still a large KBO (Kuiper Belt Object), worth of study. Bottom line, the whole debate is a bit pointless as far as the science goes, and more of an exercise in defining things.19
simply as a wandering star, and only thought of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn as planets, because they “wandered” against the background of the other stars.17 “In summary, I’m conflicted. I’m not comfortable with any definition of what a planet is.19 “There remains a very practical reason for excluding Pluto as a planet, however. If it remains a planet, what’s to stop us from continuing to increase the number of planets out there as more and more KBOs comparable in size to Pluto are discovered? It seems awkward to keep changing the textbooks every time a large KBO is discovered (there may be dozens)…easier to just demote Pluto and get on with it, perhaps.”19
Bottom line, the whole debate is a bit pointless as far as the science goes, and more of an exercise in defining things.
Donald Barrie, Geology Professor, San Diego Mesa College19
However, “cleared the neighborhood around its orbit” seems to refer to objects of comparable size to the planet, excluding moons, so maybe this is okay. But, how large does an
object have to be to be of comparable size? The IAU definition doesn’t specify.19 “My other issue is that with all the recent exoplanet discoveries lately, it sure seems arbitrary to exclude exoplanets as true planets simply because they don’t orbit our Sun.19 “What’s most fascinating to me is the philosophy behind the debate. We love
to pigeonhole ideas into either/or categories, but the natural world is subtle, and doesn’t always behave
“I’m not completely opposed to the cultural defense of Pluto, because the very concept of “planet” is historically vague and determined by cultural beliefs anyway. Why not just accept that a “planet” is simply one of the nine objects (including Pluto) historically considered as such? There’s a problem here, too, however, because in the 1800s, before the asteroid belt was fully understood, every new asteroid discovery was thought of as a new planet.
Barrie did not answer the initial question posed to him:
“Why was the link to the David Jewitt article no longer on your class website?”
”So, if we’re going to go with an historical definition of what a planet is, whose history would we use? 19 The ancient Greeks defined a planet
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NEW HORIZONS MISSION “NASA first mission to distant Pluto will also be humankind’s first close up view of this cold, unexplored world in our solar system,” said Jim Green, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division at the agency’s Headquarters in Washington. “The New Horizons team worked very hard to prepare for this first phase, and they did it flawlessly.”4 The fastest spacecraft when it was launched, New Horizons lifted off in January 2006. It awoke from its final hibernation period last month after a voyage of more than 3 billion miles, and will soon pass close to Pluto, inside the orbits of its five known moons. In preparation for the close encounter, the mission’s science, engineering and spacecraft operations teams configured the piano-sized probe for distant observations of the Pluto system that start Sunday, Jan. 25 with a long-range photo shoot.4 The images captured by New Horizons’ telescopic Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) will give mission scientists a continually improving look at the dynamics of Pluto’s moons. The images also will play a critical role in navigating the spacecraft as it covers the remaining 135 million miles (220 million kilometers) to Pluto.4
Throughout the first approach phase, which runs until spring, New Horizons will conduct a significant amount of additional science. Spacecraft instruments will gather continuous data on the interplanetary environment where the planetary system orbits, including measurements of the high-energy particles streaming from the sun and dust-particle concentrations in the inner reaches of the Kuiper Belt. In addition to Pluto, this area, the unexplored outer region of the solar system, potentially includes thousands of similar icy, rocky small planets.4 More intensive studies of Pluto begin in the spring, when the cameras and spectrometers aboard New Horizons will be able to provide image resolutions higher than the most powerful telescopes on Earth. Eventually, the spacecraft will obtain images good enough to map Pluto and its moons more accurately than achieved by previous planetary reconnaissance missions.4 (CNN) NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft is closing in on Pluto and its five moons. Soon we will see what no one has ever seen before: Crisp, clear pictures of the tiny, icy world. “The pictures are what we’re all waiting for,” Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator, told CNN.3 Up until now, the best images of Pluto have been a few pixels shot by the Hubble Space Telescope. The images, released in 2010,
Dr. John Spencer giving a talk at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences Astronomy Days. Inset of slide showing the launch of New Horizons.20
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took four years and 20 computers operating continuously and simultaneously to produce, according to Marc Buie of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado.3 They show what NASA called an “icy and dark molasses-colored, mottled world that is undergoing seasonal changes in its surface color and brightness.” That’s not a very glamorous description, but NASA said the images confirmed Pluto is a “dynamic world that undergoes dramatic atmospheric changes, not simply a ball of ice and rock.”3 New Horizons was launched before the big debate started over whether it’s a planet. For the scientists on the New Horizons team, Pluto is very much a planet -- just a new kind of planet.3 “New Horizons is on a journey to a new class of planets we’ve never seen, in a place we’ve never been before,” says New Horizons Project Scientist Hal Weaver of APL. “For decades, we thought Pluto was this odd little body on the planetary outskirts; now we know it’s really a gateway to an entire region of new worlds in the Kuiper Belt, and New Horizons is going to provide the first close-up look at them.”3
New Horizons was launched on January 19, 2006. It will arrive at Pluto on July 14, 2015. The probe is 27 inches (0.7 meters) tall, 83 inches (2.1 meters) long and 108 inches (2.7 meters) wide. It weighed 1,054 pounds (478 kilograms) at launch.(3) Image credit: NASA/JHUAPL
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PROCESS WE TOOK TO RETRIEVE DR. JEWITT’S PLUTO ARTICLE
Using Google to search for the David Jewitt article, Pluto, Perception and Planetary Politics, we stumbled onto Mr. Donald Barrie’s course page for his Geology class. The page the assignment led us to did not have the link. However, using the Wayback Machine, we found Barrie had the article linked on his page in 2011. He is the conflicted Geology professor who is not sure what stand to take in the big Pluto debate.19
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O
ur research was incomplete as we attempted to answer the question why Pluto was initially considered a planet when it was discovered in 1930 near the Kuiper belt. No information was found from the International Astronomical Association, which was founded in 1919. Planets were not defined until 2006. Newspaper clippings from March 1930 suggest that it was originally thought to be larger than Jupiter. We can only assume that scientists automatically considered it a planet based on the presumed mass and no official definition for a planet at the time to reference. The discovery of Pluto was met with overwhelming public acceptance throughout the world. As time passed and scientists learned more about Pluto, they decreased the original presumed size from largest planet to smallest planet. Yet it was still considered a planet.
RESEARCH FINDINGS: FOR PLANETARY STATUS Experts against experts, and impassioned Pluto purists will continue this heated debate for years to come. We found three states that quickly established March 14, 2007 as Pluto Planet Day, for reason stated in the New Mexico state legislature: WHEREAS, New Mexico State University and Dona Ana County were the longtime home of Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto. Weak as the reasoning be, now California, Illinois and New Mexico, if not other states, have assured us that they do not disregard Pluto as just some Kuiper Belt Object (KBO). We found generous support on social media, discussion forums, and even colleagues of our own that either did not even know about the demotion, or were still hung up on the why it was ever considered a planet. We believe it should be the job of the IAU to formally announce and educate the general public about the reasoning behind their resolution. At the Astronomy Days event Niki was fortunate to attend, the scientists and astrophysicists in attendance, though approachable and brilliant, were not able
to provide a clear picture of why not. It is easy to get caught up in jargon with your fellow academic cohorts, but it appears the answers given are unable to satisfy many Pluto fans.
CONCLUSIONS
RESEARCH FINDINGS: AGAINST PLANETARY STATUS After the 2005 discovery of Eris past Pluto, a possible 10th planet, the International Astronomical Association decided it was time to properly define what constitutes a planet. The International Astronomical Association is a qualified group of astrologists and astrophysicists from around the globe who selects its members with utmost consideration. The IAU is likely the only group on Earth qualified to decide what constitutes a planet. The dilemma facing the IAU was to either add more planets to our solar system or create a new classification called “dwarf planets”. A new classification was born in 2006, and Pluto was reclassified to a dwarf planet. Following the reclassification of Pluto, opposition ignited around the world from scientists and the public. As stated in our Demotion Opposition (pp 12-15), the evidence remains unclear. As Dr. Rachel Smith pointed out18, there will always be a discussion and conflicting opinion when science presents evidence that challenges a belief system. Climate change and species splits were the examples she gave, but there are countless examples of subsections
unwilling to accept new science. The Harvard debate in October of 2014 is an ideal example of the ongoing debate among scientists and the public regarding the status of Pluto. During the debate, experts on both sides presented cases on why Pluto should or should not be considered a planet. In the end, the audience voted that Pluto should still be considered a planet.
RESEARCH FINDINGS: CONCLUSION? INCONCLUSIVE. We are unable to determine whether Pluto’s reclassification is justified. Our results are inconclusive because there is not enough data surrounding Pluto, Eris, or any other object in the Kuiper belt. Just this month, NASA released new information that there could be at least two other dwarf planets past Pluto. NASA and the IAU can only speculate what lies so
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far away from our planet. They can also only speculate the size and composition of Pluto because the only known images are taken from The Hubble Telescope. New Horizons is the first satellite mission with the goal to study Pluto and other objects along the Kuiper belt. It was launched in 2006 and will arrive at Pluto in July of this year. When it reaches Pluto, it will capture an immense amount of data, providing Earth with more information about Pluto than ever before.
COLLABORATION Karin and Niki met over dinner to choose a topic and determine how to best move forward with the assignment. Karin had a strong passion for the Pluto debate and pitched the topic to Niki, who agreed. The research question changed many times before they were both comfortable. They divided the research into two sections: science and opposition. • The scientific research included history, IAU, Pluto facts, other planets, and New Horizons. • The opposition research included the Harvard debate, intense social media outcry which include hashtags specific to the controversy and a Facebook group called Reinstate Pluto, popular culture references such as a Big Bang Theory TV show remark, t-shirt designs making a case for Pluto’s return to planetary status, as well as state legislative overreach into the affairs of astrophysicists. Even people on the street that we would talk to had never even heard of the demotion before, so it is clear there was never a good attempt at educating the general public. Some of the sections overlapped, but the research came together beautifully. Niki discovered a two-day exhibit at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences on January 24-25, 2015. It was at this event Book available as a teaching tool to engage dialogue with children (as well as adults) regarding the big Pluto debate in an easy-to-understand book by the National Air and Space Museum’s Social and Cultural Dimensions of Spaceflight.
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that she was able to interview experts on this currently unfolding debate. She attended lectures specific to Pluto, and documented what she learned in photos and notes.
terms modified towards more scientific terms.
Following the initial faceto-face meeting, Karin and Niki mostly communicated over email and text message with two long telephone calls. Communication was never an issue. They worked on a Google Doc for most of the project until Niki took the information and created a visually-pleasing layout design.
We updated some of the hashtags to have more succinct and specific results: for example we omitted #WhyPluto and created #NeverForget Pluto.
Deadlines were no problem, because Karin moved the deadlines up due to an outof-town trip over the same weekend the final project was due. Niki put the finishing touches on the project before submission.
RESEARCH STRATEGY MODIFICATIONS The research strategy began with the intention of focusing on the Pluto debate and the origin of opposition. However, as we learned more, we decided to focus on why Pluto was reclassified and who had the power to do so. It was a more interesting question. Our search
We refined our Research Concept of “Sociology” to “Culture.”
Even though our conclusions are inconclusive, the IAU succeeded in solving a dilemma… a dilemma that could potentially cause more problems as Earth continues to discover new objects in our solar system. A planet needed to be defined. We feel confident in our conclusions. The ongoing issue lies in the vast unknown we call space. There are so many questions to uncover in our solar system, and hopefully New Horizons will provide some answers in July. We could not find much information on why Pluto was originally considered a planet. That information would help us understand why it was considered a planet for 76 years. The debate is certain to continue for years. We will anxiously await July 14, 2015, when the New Horizons spacecraft makes its historic flyby of our mysterious yet beloved outer solar system cousin, Pluto.
1. International Astronomical Union. Resolution B5: Definition of a Planet in the Solar System. www.iau.org. N.p., 2006. Web. 25 Jan. 2015. <https://www. iau.org/static/resolutions/Resolution_GA26-5-6.pdf>. 2. “Pluto: Overview.” NASA Solar System Exploration. Webmaster: David Martin, n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2015. <https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/ profile.cfm?Object=Pluto>.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
3. Barnett, Amanda. “Close Encounter with Distant Pluto Getting under Way CNN.com.” CNN. Cable News Network, 25 Jan. 2015. Web. 27 Jan. 2015. 4. NASA. “NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft begins first stages of Pluto encounter.” 15 January 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2015/01/150115163449.htm>. 5. Dissertation CVM: NVNCIO SIDEREO III 12.8 (2006): 1-56. The Official Newspaper of the IAU General Assembly 2006. Lcaris, Ltd. Web. 27 Jan. 2015. 6. “International Astronomical Union | IAU.” International Astronomical Union | IAU. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2015. 7. “What Is a Planet?” YouTube. YouTube, 18 Sept. 2014. Web. 27 Jan. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RNGSuFqmro>. 8. Aguilar, David A., and Christine Pulliam. “Is Pluto a Planet? The Votes Are In.” www.cfa.harvard.edu/. HARVARD-SMITHSONIAN CENTER FOR ASTROPHYSICS, 19 Sept. 2014. Web. 27 Jan. 2015. 9. “Pluto discovered.” 2015. The History Channel website. Jan 27 2015, 3:09 <http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/plutodiscovered>. 10. Mark, Mitchel E. “THE DISCOVERY OF PLUTO.” THE DISCOVERY OF PLUTO. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2015. <http:// mitchellarchives.com/the-discovery-of-pluto.htm>. 11 .Stern, A., & Mitton, J., 2005, Pluto and Charon: Ice Worlds on the Ragged Edge of the Solar System, Wiley-VCH 1997 12. ASA. NASA, n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2015. <http://www.nasa.gov/>. 13. Plataforma SINC. “Trans-Neptunian objects suggest that there are more dwarf planets in our solar system.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 January 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150115083036.htm>. 14. Rincon, Paul. “The Girl Who Named a Planet.” BBC News. BBC, 13 Jan. 2006. Web. 01 Feb. 2015. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/ science/nature/4596246.stm>. 15. Wall, Mike. “NASA Telescope Spots 500 New Alien Planet Candidates.” NASA Telescope Spots 503 New Alien Planet Candidates. Space.com, 14 June 2013. Web. 01 Feb. 2015. <http://www.space.com/21570-nasa-kepler-alien-planet-candidates.html>. 16. Rincon, Paul. “Pluto Vote ‘hijacked’ in Revolt.” BBC News. BBC, 25 Aug. 2006. Web. 01 Feb. 2015. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/ science/nature/5283956.stm>. 17. Goldstein, Bernard R., and Alan C. Bowen. “A New View of Early Greek Astronomy.” Isis 74.3 (1983): 330. Web. 18. “Discussion on Pluto.” Niki DeGroot interview with Dr. Rachel Smith, NC Museum of Natural Sciences. 23 Jan. 2015. 19. Barrie, Donald. “Pluto.” Message to Niki DeGroot. 30 Jan. 2015. E-mail. 20.Spencer, John. “The New Horizons Mission: On the Threshold of the Pluto System.” Astronomy Days. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh. 24 Jan. 2015. Lecture. 21. Jewitt, David. “Pluto.” Message to Niki DeGroot. 30 Jan. 2015. E-mail. 22. Gutierrez, Joni. “New Mexico Legislature: Declaring Pluto a Planet and March 13, 2007 as Pluto Planet Day.” New Mexico Legislature: Declaring Pluto a Planet and March 13, 2007 as Pluto Planet Day. New Mexico Legislature, 8 Mar. 2007. Web. 01 Feb. 2015. <http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=23558>. 23. “The Apology Insuffiency.” The Big Bang Theory. CBS. 4 Nov. 2010. Television.
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IMAGES ON NEXT PAGE: 1. Hawaii tourism site, LoveBigIsland.com. 2. Flickr.com user Transguyjay’s image of Mars Vintage Thrift shop in Berkeley, CA. 3. Zazzle.com planet mnemonic poster having fun with the debate. 4. DudeLOL.com user upload. 5. 9buz.com user Deep’s Pluto meme upload. 6. Big Bang Theory episode The Apology Insufficiency (Nov 4, 2010) features cameo of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. This clip shows Sheldon blaming Tyson as responsible for the demotion of Pluto as a planet, that he liked Pluto, ergo he doesn’t like him. Neil deGrasse Tyson defends himself, affirming that he did not demote Pluto but the International Astronomical Union voted as such. Sheldon doesn’t concede to Tyson’s rebuttal, and Tyson is stupefied by him. (youtu.be/F3DlNZRAlms) 7. Blogspot user GodIsHeart’s post 8. An example of many t-shirts available with the hashtag #neverforgetPluto. 9. A 3D rendering by Blender artist Mathias, on discussion forum blenderartists.org.
FUN EXTRAS Humorous material supporting current conflicting opinions for the Pluto status debate.
PLUTO REVERE (Rapped to the tune of Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere”) Contributed to the Pale Blue Blog, Jan 1, 2015, Astrology Magazine by Julia DeMarines and Raea Hicks Here’s a little story I gots to tell, About a solar system you think you know so well. It started way back in history with Copernicus, Galileo and Tyco Brahe! Check out the planets- you want to steer? You, me, and my spaceship, and a quart of beer. Ridin’ cross the cosmos, kickin’ up sand. They all want us to visit cause we are human. The first little planet named Mercury, All by itself without nobody. The sun is beatin’ down on its cratered hat. One sides gettin’ hot, and the other temp’s flat. Lookin’ for a girl, next planet in the sky, She said, “My name’s Venus.” I said, “Howdy.” She said, “Hi.” [Long instrumental break] She told a little story that sounded well rehearsed. Hottest surface in the system and she’s dying of thirst. The brew was in my hand, and she was on my tip. Her voice was hoarse, her throat was dry, she asked me for a sip. She said “Can I get some?”
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I said “You can’t get none.” Had a chance to be fun, But got too close to the sun. 800 degrees [F], I thought I’d be dead. Coolin’ down on the next planet and this is what she said: “My name is Planet Earth, I’ve got people that are chill. I think you know about me, get out of here for real.” So what do we have here? The next planet without beer. “I am Mars, and my atmosphere is clear.” We stepped into the wind, with a rover and a grin. Leaving the Red Planet, now we’re ready to begin. [Long instrumental break] “I’ve got the mass, you’ve got the crew. You’ve got two choices of what you can do. I’ve got hydrogen as you can see. I’m Jupiter … pull you in like ShoemakerLevy” I’ll ride with you, take me to Saturn’s orbit. Out beyond the frostline, where it’s too cold for water. Cassini orbits like this, and orbits like that. Dropped a probe on Titan and landed with a splat. So I’m on the run, much further from the sun. Right about now it’s time to have some fun.
The planet Uranus, and I’m a little insane, And I have a hazy spot cause I’ve got some methane.” Next, we rode to Neptune and checked the dark spot. It’s got the strongest winds and it’s anything but hot. This rock was starin’ like he knows who we are, So we took the empty spot next to him at the bar. Neptune said, “Yo, you know this dwarf kid?” I said I didn’t but I know he did. The kid said, “Get ready, ’cause this ain’t funny. My name is Pluto and I’m about to get money.” He pulled out Hubble, aimed it at the sky. He yelled, “Stick ‘em up!” and let moons fly. Four new moons, and people hit the floor. The New Horizon team is running for the door. “King of the Kuiper belt and I get respect. Your cash and your space craft is what I expect.” NASA was with it, and he’s my ace, Ran some calculations and I punched Pluto in the face. The orbits check out, the craft won’t stop Pluto was a planet and now he >>got dropped.<<
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