Eight Is Enough, Afterall

So my first post on the subject was the more correct post, guess I have more influence with the IAU than I first suspected (plus 'demoting' Pluto is the most consistent and defensible interpretation of what makes a planet). A dozen was too much (plus the possibility of dozens more).

Prof. Althouse posts her thoughts, too.

Who knew that the name 'plutons would piss off the geologists, though?

Anyway, Xena will have to deal with 'only' being a 'plutonian' planetlet (planetette?) (planecito?)(planetchik?)(lil' chunk o' ice and stone?).

And Ceres will remain just a freakin' huge asteroid.

But poor Pluto, once confused with a mighty planet, the poor solar system body will now have to deal with the existential crisis of coming to terms with its new identity.

I can imagine the press conference, "Having just learned of my demotion, I do not feel any lesser as a solar system body, nor do I feel deserving of this treatment, but given that I don't support life, nor likely ever will I lack the political power to influence the astronomers that gathered to decide my fate. I'll have to learn to live with the collective decision of a few terran based stargazers. I may no longer be referred to as a planet in current textbooks, but the past has a way of living on, so please don't judge me too harshly if I take a small amount of pleasure when school children working from mid 20th century textbooks still refer to me as the 'ninth planet'"

I do find the rebellion of the rank and file from the recommendation of the committee interesting, though. I bet the blogosphere did have some effect on their decision making, even if this particular blog didn't.