• Question: how many planets (in your mind) are there? i.e some people dont believe that pluto is a real planet.

    Asked by bellalai to David, Luna, Mark, Melanie, Probash on 21 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: David Pyle

      David Pyle answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      It’s a matter of definition and convention – so I don’t have a strong opinion, as it doesn’t change any of the questions about why Pluto is where it is..

      Of course, we now know of many more planets in other solar systems… so for the loss of one from our own solar system, we have gained at least 538 new ‘extrasolar’ planets! http://exoplanet.eu/catalog.php

    • Photo: Luna Munoz

      Luna Munoz answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      I had to memorize 9 planets when I was in school, so I really want to hold on to the fact that I learned 9 planets’ names for a reason. However, I do understand why pluto might not be considered a planet; being called a dwarf planet is not so bad, pluto!

    • Photo: Melanie Stefan

      Melanie Stefan answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      Apparently, the definition of planet has changed, so this is why Pluto used to be a planet, but isn’t anymore. There is an astronomer at Caltech who has written a book about it. I haven’t read it, but I think I will, it sounds cool. It’s called “How I killed Pluto and why it had it coming” by Mike Brown.

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