Pluto stripped of planetary status. How distressing.

[icarus]

On the one hand, I am not surprised that Pluto has been demoted from planet to dwarf planet. There were those that argued it was really a comet. So dwarf planet is a compromise.

If people hadn't pushed to recognize both Pluto and its moons as planets we wouldn't have such a tight definition, but that's what happens when you get greedy. The astronomers mutinied.

Is it too geeky of me that I'm pleased the International Astronomical Union meeting was in the Czech Republic? And that I see Rodney and Radek arguing about it?

Oh, darn, I just got an idea for the Mission Reports challenge at sga_flashfic. It's cute, nothing powerful or flashy.

Comments

[lillian78.livejournal.com]

I'm stunned. One of my school science projects was putting together crappy "here's the planets in our galaxy" motif. I remember it fondly and it garned me a "B". Alas, even planets or dwarf planets aren't safe any longer. :-D

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I tell you, our world just shrank due to some petty Astronomer politics.

Icarus

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

My Very Elegant Mother Just Sat On Nine. ?? That doesn't work at all. At least they aren't promoting Xena to fill the vacancy.

[meesto.livejournal.com]

What I want to know is will the god the underworld be displeased with the demotion and if so, will they be be kind in their expression of it?

[ncp.livejournal.com]

That's been my question all along! As if things aren't bad enough in this world, we've gotta go anger the God of Death! COuldn't we have demoted, say, Uranus? He's pretty placid...

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

*shakes head* I'm wondering what the Astrologers will do. Does Scorpio get Mars back? Do Astrologers decide Astronomers are wrong when it comes to the cosmic vibrations of the universe? Return to medieval astrology with the undermining of their faith in modern astronomy? Revise all the books? Decide Pluto wasn't all that important anyway?

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Ha! Really. This of the fate of Astrology. The implications are huge. Devastating even.

Also, I'm Scorpio. Is my sign no longer ruled by Pluto but instead we're back to boring old Mars?

Icarus

[gyutto.livejournal.com]

when I read that on MSN, I immediately wondered what teachers would do--are they going to take a big red marker and write "dwarf" next to Pluto on the "Our Solar System" map? On the other hand, the article also said that the change in status was likely to be challenged because only 426 out of the approx. 10,000 astronomers on the globe actually voted. The fact that 426 people are making decisions about entire galaxies quite frankly makes me a little queasy.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Well, I suspect Pluto is more or less unchanged by the news.

Icarus

[shezan.livejournal.com]

"Don't underestimate Pluto. Pluto doesn't know the word quit."

Natalie in Sports Night, 1x20, Ordnance tactics.

[enname.livejournal.com]

Woke up to hearing that on the radio and I was more suprised that they kept it around as anything at all than the fact that it got demoted.

I have this strange image of all these astronomers packed into a teacup at sea, waving cutlasses and cheering.

No you are't remotely geeky. Nope, considering as how I kinda laughed hard enough to rouse the cat when the news report got to the bit about the Czech Republic.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Rodney will hold Radek personally responsible for this, because a tighter definition of a planet means one that was named after Rodney is now no longer considered a planet. Radek points out that he has already named other interstellar objects after himself in the Pegasus galaxy, so what difference does it make?

Finally Rodney petulantly admits that he doesn't like the idea of the solar system changing while he's gone. While he's there, fine, he can get on board with the entire argument. But if they can... change the number of planets then anything can change.

Radek gives up and lets Rodney take the last cup of coffee. Then warns everyone off for the rest of the day.

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

*turns quote upside down and sideways*

Okay, I admit. I don't get it.

Icarus

[shezan.livejournal.com]

You're not a Sports Night fan???

Alas, I have no eps to send you, but I can send you scripts, if you like Aaron Sorkin's series before The West Wing.Just as sharp and funnier.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, I saw it a couple times, I'm just too disinterested in sports in general to get into it. It was clever and funny.

Icarus

[greenling.livejournal.com]

I don't think they focus much on the planets as being planets anyway. Pluto was only discovered in the last century, so that would've been a much bigger change than just calling it something else. *g*

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, you'd be surprised. This is going to cause quite a flurry.

[enname.livejournal.com]

Oh Rodney, devourer of the laws of physics, you just can't manage to cope with the fact that the milkyway has problems with counting. Counting, I am sure they would have greatly benefitted from having your gianormous brain to help with.

Muttering something under his breath about God being upset about the worshippers rebelling.

[gyutto.livejournal.com]

true that!