I'm Not Dead Yet!

For those of you still stewing in outrage at the recent IUA decision to demote Pluto to Dwarf Planetary status, rest assured that the Planetary Science Institute is still fighting the good fight. They have managed to circulate a petition protesting the IAU planetary definition, and have gathered more than three hundred signatures from planetary scientists in under five days.

“We, as planetary scientists and astronomers, do not agree with the IAU's definition of a planet, nor will we use it. A better definition is needed”

"Neither [of the proposed definitions] was subject to critical review by the broader planetary science community prior
to the conference, despite simple means to do so in modern times."

And as a friend at work recently noted, "To call it a dwarf just seems so discriminatory. Tiny Planet? Planet-challenged?"

Stay tuned for more on this planetary nail-biter.