The Great Pluto Debate

The Great Pluto Debate:

Were astronomers correct in changing Pluto's status as an honest-to-goodness, card-carrying planet, claiming that it was just a pretender from the ranks of the icy bodies of the outermost fringes of the solar system? Discovery of some large icy bodies in the outer solar system in the late 1990s, caused this question to flare up in astronomical circles and in the mainstream press. Though astronomers agreed on "demoting" Pluto from planet-hood during the summer of 2006, the public at large is dissatisfied, and it is safe to say that the matter is not quite settled yet.

In recitation sections on November 7/10 you will participate in this debate to try and settle the matter - for Astro 120, at least. . . Homework 9 will prepare you for the discussion - it is a bit different than the previous homeworks, so click on the link there, print it out, and then read this item again.

You are to fill out the 'pre-debate' questions and hand it in during recitation on November 7 or 10.

For background reading, use your text but also check out a selection of the following links about the new discoveries, and the debate that rages on:

Here are the new definitions of a planet voted on by the world's astronomers in August 2006. The results of the votes, with commentary by Dave Jewett (see below) are given in this link.
an update from summer 2008: here's the rationale for the 'plutoid' term
The Great Planet Debate was held this past summer (2008); click on the link to see a summary of the debate, and watch the video of two opponents duking it out...
A "tenth planet" beyond Pluto was discovered in 2005. Read this link to see what its discoverer, Mike Brown of Caltech, has to say regarding its (and Pluto's) planetary status.
And it has a moon! (from Mike Brown's site).
Sedna - an earlier discovery of a large KBO object.
BBC News item, with public comments.
A Wikipedia entry
FAQ from the IAU
For a somewhat different point of view look at Dave Jewitt's commentary on the controversy. Dave is co-discoverer of the very first KBO. Feel free to explore the links on this page for more than you'll ever need or want to know about these things!

and be sure to read up on the discussion from a few years ago by checking out these links as well.

The 'official statement' of the International Astronomical Union. (does saying it is so mean that it really is so?)
FAQ-Is Pluto a Planet from another 'official' group.
Much Ado about Pluto - from NASA.
A Major Fracas about a Small, but Not Quite Minor, Planet: the New York Times weighs in.
What is a Planet? Debate Forces a New Definition: from Space.com.
Numerous quotes and links to popular and newspaper articles on the Pluto Debate