Thursday, October 12, 2006

Leave Pluto Alone

One of my favorite morning rituals is driving my two boys to school. I enjoy this time because each day brings new topics for discussion and new observations on the journey. This week the topic has been planets and the solar system. The basketball in the back seat is Jupiter, a tennis ball is earth, and a small “bouncy ball” serves as Mars. My youngest son used the tip of his finger to represent Pluto. I began to explain that Pluto was no longer a planet but when pressed I couldn’t explain why this happened.
My boys questioned the authority of the scientists who stripped this defenseless planet of its status overruled their decision. They literally rejected the notion that a planet could become “not a planet” and continued without giving it any further thought. Already my boys are learning to question and challenge assumptions. I hope this leads to a lifestyle that searches for truth and that is open to answers. I also don’t mind if they are strong enough to “stick to their guns”.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

leave Pluto alone-Straight!

Laurel Kornfeld said...

Kudos to your sons--they're right! The definitions of "planet" and "dwarf planet" adopted by the IAU make absolutely no sense. The concept of a "dwarf planet" not being a planet at all is linguistically impossible. A group of planetary scientists have signed a petition stating they will not use the IAU's new definition. Pluto is and will always be a planet. That is something the IAU cannot change.

Anonymous said...

I tihnk your right about leaving pluto.But itself has been through alot it has ahd moons and seasons and we canot deny that..