Official News page 7

REAL LIFE NEWS: IS PLUTO A PLANET? THE ROW RUMBLES ON

by Hazed

Remember a year or two back, when the International Astronomical Union demoted Pluto and declared it was no longer a planet, but a dwarf planet or "plutoid"? Well, the state of Illinois begs to differ.

It has decreed that as it "passes overhead through Illinois' night skies, that it be re-established with full planetary status."

This rather dubious resolution, which contradicts the IAU's ruling, does have some tenuous logic behind it. It notes that "Clyde Tombaugh, discover of the planet Pluto, was born on a farm near the Illinois community of Streator."

They have also declared that "March 13, 2009 be declared Pluto Day in the State of Illinois in honor of the date its discovery was announced in 1930."

Very nice, but I can't see that the views of the Illinois senate are going to carry much weight if and when astronomers revisit this question!

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