Friday, September 01, 2006

NYT: Battle for Pluto Rages On

Debate Lingers Over Definition for a Planet - New York Times: "More than 300 scientists have signed a petition protesting the definition of “planet” decided by the International Astronomical Union last week. That definition demoted Pluto, leaving the solar system with eight planets.

The petition states: “We, as planetary scientists and astronomers, do not agree with the I.A.U.’s definition of a planet, nor will we use it. A better definition is needed.”

Mark V. Sykes, director of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Ariz., and S. Alan Stern, of the Space Science and Engineering Division of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo., organized the petition. Many planetary scientists, they said, were dissatisfied with the new definition, some because of how it was decided, some because they did not find it sound.

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