Arizona's Governor Signs Bill Making Pluto the Official State Planet (azcapitoltimes.com) 118
"Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona..." reads the official text of House Bill #2,477. "PLUTO IS THE OFFICIAL STATE PLANET."
An anonymous reader shared this report from Capital Media Services: The governor signed legislation Friday designating Pluto as Arizona's "official state planet." It joins a list of other items the state has declared to be "official,'' ranging from turquoise as the state gemstone and copper as the state metal to the Sonorasaurus as the state dinosaur. "I am proud of Arizona's pioneering work in space discovery," governor Hobbs said.
What makes Pluto unique and ripe for claim by Arizona is that it is the only planet actually discovered in the United States, and the discovery was made in Flagstaff. Rep. Justin Wilmeth, a Phoenix Republican and self-described "history nerd,'' said that needed to be commemorated, starting with the legacy of astronomer Clyde Tombaugh. In 1930, Tombaugh was working at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. "The whole story of Clyde is just amazing, just sitting there under the telescope'' looking for planets by taking photos over a period of time, said Wilmeth. "It was two different glass planes that had one little spec of light moving in a different direction,'' showing it wasn't just another star — and all by observation and not computers. "To me, that's something that's just mind boggling."
"The International Astronomical Union voted years ago to strip Pluto of its official status as a planet," the article points out, noting that its official definition specifies that planets "clear the neighboring region of other objects." (While Pluto "has such a small gravitational pull, it has not attracted and absorbed other space rocks in its orbit".)
So in 2006 Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet, according to a NASA web page. "Pluto is about 1/6 the width of Earth," and has a radius of 715 miles or 1,151 kilometers. "If Earth was the size of a nickel, Pluto would be about as big as a popcorn kernel."
Long-time Slashdot reader Baron_Yam called Arizona's new legislation "How to advertise you are ignorant. Scientists said something we don't like, so we'll make a law!" They can call it their "State Planet" all they want, but people who actually know about the skies will be mocking them for it. While there is nostalgia for the old classification, and the new one isn't perfect... it's certainly more meaningful when trying to divide up the objects of a planetary system for study.
Reached for a comment by Capital Media Services, Representative Wilmeth said "It might matter to some that are going to get picky or persnickety about stuff... There's several generations of Americans ... who believe that Pluto's a planet — or at least that's what we were taught. I'm never going to think differently. That's just my personal opinion." (The news site adds that "What is important, Wilmeth said, is remembering the history and promoting it.")
Five senators in Arizona's state legislatur did vote against the measure — though not all of them did so for scientific reasons, Senator Anthony Kern explained to Capital Media Services. "I did not want to discriminate against those who wanted Mars, Venus, Jupiter, or everyone's favorite, Uranus."
An anonymous reader shared this report from Capital Media Services: The governor signed legislation Friday designating Pluto as Arizona's "official state planet." It joins a list of other items the state has declared to be "official,'' ranging from turquoise as the state gemstone and copper as the state metal to the Sonorasaurus as the state dinosaur. "I am proud of Arizona's pioneering work in space discovery," governor Hobbs said.
What makes Pluto unique and ripe for claim by Arizona is that it is the only planet actually discovered in the United States, and the discovery was made in Flagstaff. Rep. Justin Wilmeth, a Phoenix Republican and self-described "history nerd,'' said that needed to be commemorated, starting with the legacy of astronomer Clyde Tombaugh. In 1930, Tombaugh was working at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. "The whole story of Clyde is just amazing, just sitting there under the telescope'' looking for planets by taking photos over a period of time, said Wilmeth. "It was two different glass planes that had one little spec of light moving in a different direction,'' showing it wasn't just another star — and all by observation and not computers. "To me, that's something that's just mind boggling."
"The International Astronomical Union voted years ago to strip Pluto of its official status as a planet," the article points out, noting that its official definition specifies that planets "clear the neighboring region of other objects." (While Pluto "has such a small gravitational pull, it has not attracted and absorbed other space rocks in its orbit".)
So in 2006 Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet, according to a NASA web page. "Pluto is about 1/6 the width of Earth," and has a radius of 715 miles or 1,151 kilometers. "If Earth was the size of a nickel, Pluto would be about as big as a popcorn kernel."
Long-time Slashdot reader Baron_Yam called Arizona's new legislation "How to advertise you are ignorant. Scientists said something we don't like, so we'll make a law!" They can call it their "State Planet" all they want, but people who actually know about the skies will be mocking them for it. While there is nostalgia for the old classification, and the new one isn't perfect... it's certainly more meaningful when trying to divide up the objects of a planetary system for study.
Reached for a comment by Capital Media Services, Representative Wilmeth said "It might matter to some that are going to get picky or persnickety about stuff... There's several generations of Americans ... who believe that Pluto's a planet — or at least that's what we were taught. I'm never going to think differently. That's just my personal opinion." (The news site adds that "What is important, Wilmeth said, is remembering the history and promoting it.")
Five senators in Arizona's state legislatur did vote against the measure — though not all of them did so for scientific reasons, Senator Anthony Kern explained to Capital Media Services. "I did not want to discriminate against those who wanted Mars, Venus, Jupiter, or everyone's favorite, Uranus."
Had me (Score:1, Troll)
For like 5 seconds...
Indeed - almost the perfect April fool (Score:2)
One that is totally plausible. An issue, of course, is that it's partisan; it's a shame when you use an April Fool to make your opponents look ridiculous; it's far more interesting to do one that demonstrates your own side's fallibility.
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One that is totally plausible. An issue, of course, is that it's partisan; it's a shame when you use an April Fool to make your opponents look ridiculous; it's far more interesting to do one that demonstrates your own side's fallibility.
The governor of Arizona is a Democrat. However, this is absolutely something a Republican would do to suck-up to Trump and the MAGA electorate. So what are you complaining about? That the slashdot editors are victimising a democrat by making her out to be doing something MAGA in their April 1st joke? ... or are you upset that Slashdot's April 1st joke is an attack on the deeply held beliefs of the MAGA crowd? Mind you, that last one would be a fine April 1st joke all by itself because I'm pretty sure most A
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Frankly, I am from Arizona and pretty much fell for it, because our legislature is dominated by republicans, and the republican governor was just replaced by a democrat in the last election
There was a lingering trace of doubt that Gov Hobbs would go along with any republican shenanigans, fortunately I read the current posts before declaring
ARIZONA IS RULED BY JERRYS (Rick & Morty reference)
If only April 1 news was the news every day (Score:1)
Pluto is a planet (Score:3)
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT....
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You have my support. I think we should also consider renaming it to "10"- or do we arbitrarily move the line a bit higher to exclude Ceres?
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I think the world would be a significantly, quantitatively better place. Because Pluto is a planet.
Yes.
..., Pluto. There is no such thing as a dwarf planet.". Current definition is stupid as hell. How many dwarf planets do we have? Oh, dunno because the conditions for being a dwarf planet are vague enough that that the astronomers are still arguing about a lot of them. And how many *planets*? You think 8? Try "between 6 and 9", more like.
The definition of planet should be: "By longstanding tradition, the following nine objects are planets: Mercury, Venus,
Orbiting Sun? OK, so is Pluto a dwarf planet?
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Frankly, if the Republicans make reestablishing Pluto as a planet (instead of a "dwarf planet" which is also a planet in the same way a dwarf human is a human and a dwarf elephant is an elephant), then sure, I'll go along with that. That's got great pedigree, adequate reasoning, and as traditionalisms go, it's all upside and now downside.
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Partisan because it was alleging that this is a Republican's proposal, playing on the idea that Republicans are science deniers. Sadly many an anti-vaxxer will be found to be a Democrat.
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For like 5 seconds...
The article is dated March 30th.
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Still, dates can be faked, although I suspect this is just someone using a most likely dead-in-the-water idea to add a bit more credence to the gag. Look at the bill though; Title 41, Chapter 4.1, Section 41-860.0. That's either a huge clue, a huge coincidence, or someone in the Arizona State Legislate is wearing a huge grin today.
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Re: Had me (Score:1)
Fuck April Fools
Re: Had me (Score:3)
It's legit. Do some looking.
Here's the link to the Arizona legislature. Search for HB2477
https://apps.azleg.gov/BillSta... [azleg.gov]
You can read the whole history on it.
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I have no idea what any of that stuff means.
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I gotta know, what kind douchebag would mark my OP as Troll??
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And...scene!
Go see a doctor (Score:2)
And get him to pull that rod out of your backside.
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Its April Fools Day so get over yourself. And it looks like you're the fool here.
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If you take the time to read and comprehend what I wrote, you'll notice I was well aware of the date.
Holding Clyde Tombaugh up to ridicule is a fine way to demonstrate a total absence of maturity or intellect. One imagines the human equivalent of one of those inflatable clowns at a used car lot.
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*yawn* Another day, another aspie vents...
Re: Go see a doctor (Score:3)
Just because you read this on April 1 does not make it an April Fools joke. Look at the date of the article and look up the legislation. Unless you think they planned this months ago, and then the governor goofed by signing it Friday instead of waiting until Monday.
Admittedly that wouldn't be the level of planning that a legislative rickrolling required but it would be a bit much. https://www.npr.org/sections/t... [npr.org]
All to get a dissent in support of Uranus.
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All it does is amplify the voices of the scumbags and cowards who deliberately chose to tarnish the memory and historic work of Clyde Tombaugh, the famous American astronomer who discovered the Kuiper Belt Object Pluto in 1930.
FTFY. Not sure why the person's name is tarnished though. He still discovered it. Or are you deliberately belittling all the other people who discovered KBOs, something that is significantly harder to do than finding a planet? If so, why are you such an arsehole, win too many participation trophies as a kid?
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Didn't need to be fixed. Pluto's discovery is a matter of historical record.
Or are you deliberately belittling all the other people who discovered KBOs, something that is significantly harder to do than finding a planet?
Are you really comparing recent astronomy with Tombaugh's achievement in 1930, when mankind's most advanced technology was radio?
win too many participation trophies as a kid?
No such thing as a participation trophy when I was a kid. When I won trophies it was because my team was victorious, usually against formidable competition.
I realize people nowadays have a habit of peeing on themselves when someone writes a declarative sentence, but that doesn't change the facts.
Like Gener
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Didn't need to be fixed. Pluto's discovery is a matter of historical record.
You're right, except what isn't a matter of historical record is the definition of a planet. At least until 2006 when a definition was created and it turns out Pluto didn't fit it. Nothing has changed in history, no one's name has been tarnished or erased.
Are you really comparing recent astronomy with Tombaugh's achievement in 1930, when mankind's most advanced technology was radio?
No I'm comparing astronomy from 4 decades ago to it, when people started looking for TNO once they knew where to look.
but that doesn't change the facts.
What facts? You didn't write facts. Just some braindead conspiracy about the IAU being specifically against some guy because he was an Ame
Re:Has to be Said (Score:5, Funny)
Unfortunately for them, history cannot be changed and science isn't subject to a vote.
Yup. Slavery was rampant in this country not that long ago and the people who are fighting to not have that story told don't want it known their parents and grandparents were involved with it, or how horrible the Christians who invaded this continent were to the people living here, how they torutured, murdered, and raped their way to stealing the land.
And as for science, you are also correct. Masks work as do the vaccines.
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Slavery was rampant in what country not that long ago? Slavery in my country ended in 1865. That's a long time ago. When did it end in yours? Your parents were involved in slavery? Maybe you're from one of the African countries that still has and practices legal human slavery today. That must be what you're crying about. Right? And oh those Christians from the Middle Ages... that was like your great grand father.
When you post an Aprils fool joke it is supposed to be a little bit funny.
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Slavery in my country ended in 1865. That's a long time ago. When did it end in yours?
In my country it was banned such a long time ago that there isn't even a historical record of it anymore. Quitting slavery in 1865 is...pretty late, as far as the world is concerned.
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IIRC Brasil was the only major country who abolished slavery later than the US (well, China, but their concept of slavery was considerably different than the European one).
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Re: Has to be Said (Score:1)
Damn dude. I think the mental health pharma industry is bullshit, but you make the case for benzos with aplomb.
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Unfortunately for them, history cannot be changed and science isn't subject to a vote.
It wasn't even a legitimate vote. 83% of those eligible to vote had already left before the vote was conducted.
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It wasn't even a legitimate vote. 83% of those eligible to vote had already left before the vote was conducted.
Citation needed.
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It wasn't even a legitimate vote. 83% of those eligible to vote had already left before the vote was conducted.
Citation needed.
"The General Assembly lasted 12 days and had 2412 participants, but only 424 IAU members attended the Closing Ceremony held on 24th August 2006 and took part in the voting process."
https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/pa... [arxiv.org]
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"The General Assembly lasted 12 days and had 2412 participants, but only 424 IAU members attended the Closing Ceremony held on 24th August 2006 and took part in the voting process."
First of all, participants does not mean voting member. Not all participants are voting members. So your "85%" number is suspect.
Second, according to IAU statutes [iau.org] "A vote is valid only if at least two thirds of the National Members having the right to vote by virtue of article 14.a. participate in it by either casting a vote or signalling an abstention." So at least 2/3s of all National Members had to agree to the change.
Third, you make it seem as if this was some sort of last minute secret vote. The IAU [iau.org]
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First of all, participants does not mean voting member. Not all participants are voting members.
Second, according to IAU statutes "A vote is valid only if at least two thirds of the National Members having the right to vote by virtue of article 14.a. participate in it by either casting a vote or signalling an abstention." So at least 2/3s of all National Members had to agree to the change.
The vote was never even counted and they had something like 9k members in 2006. National members are institutions not people. I don't even know what you are talking about.
Third, you make it seem as if this was some sort of last minute secret vote. The IAU welcome newsletter that on August 16 Resolution 5 would be discussed which was the definition of Planet specifically when it came to Pluto and Ceres. People left before voting on the resolution. And?
Most people only stay for a day or two to work their domains. They don't have the time or money to stay for the full 11 days to the very closing end of the meeting to vote.
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The vote was never even counted . . .
Citation needed.
National members are institutions not people. I don't even know what you are talking about.
From the IAU statutes [iau.org] You do know National members have votes, right?
Most people only stay for a day or two to work their domains. They don't have the time or money to stay for the full 11 days to the very closing end of the meeting to vote.
And this is the fault of the IAU how? There was an agenda. There was a vote. People left before the vote. And?
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Relaaaax, it's a joke. You're gonna bust a vein there, buddy.
Re:Has to be Said (Score:5, Insightful)
Unfortunately for them, history cannot be changed and science isn't subject to a vote.
And yet, guess what, Pluto stopped being a planet by a vote. Because, guess what, "if you drop a rock it'll follow fall at gt^2" is science, but the definition of the word "planet" isn't. They could have as well decreed a definition of "By longstanding tradition, the following nine objects are to be considered planets: Mercury, Venus, ..., Pluto".
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At the time when it was discovered, it was thought to be Neptune-sized. If Tombaugh had known it was a ball of ice smaller than Earth's moon, he'd likely have reconsidered his proposed designation.
Oblig... (Score:2)
Date (Score:2)
And so it begins...
Arizona is an amateur state (Score:1)
They think they are Indiana or something, but they've got a long way to go before they try to legislate pi = 3.
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Pi is not 3.14159.
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No, but that's close enough for the vast majority of use cases.
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PI is still not 3.14159 any more than 3 is. Both are incorrect.
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PI is still not 3.14159 any more than 3 is. Both are incorrect.
By your definition everyone on the planet is incorrect and always will be. Your comment is incredibly stupid, which isn't a surprise to anyone anymore.
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If they use 3 or 3.14159 then yes, they are wrong. How hard is that to comprehend and accept?
When you go to the store and your bill is $124.68, are you ok when they say, "that'll be $130, please"?
It is wrong. You are a clown looking to start shit because you like to start shit.
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Oh yeah? Well yermom.
So there! Nyah!
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LOL @ Troll moderation. Found Turns out we have Indianians with modpoints who are upset at something that was very literally proposed by their state.
Pluto? (Score:2)
Good company (Score:2)
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That never happened. The bill got referred to the committee on swamps and died there.
Red state? Could be real actually (Score:1)
Yes. Well. Other than the obvious date this is posted I suspect Republican politicians would actually be so challenged to actually do that...
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Yeah. Whataboutism.
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Being a hypocrite is a good reason to hijack a thread.
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You mean getting called out for posting generic no context "all those people in that other group are bad just because" nonsense.
FTFY. You're welcome.
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Yes. That too.
Re:Red state? Could be real actually (Score:5, Informative)
Ya this is far more stupid than California decriminalizing theft under $990 or NYC ending bail for extremely serious violent felons.
But those Republicans!!
California did not decriminalize theft, it simply reclassfied lower level non-violent crimes as misdemeanors https://apnews.com/article/fac... [apnews.com]
NY did not end cash bail for violent felonies, only misdemeanors and some non-violent felonies https://www.nyclu.org/en/campa... [nyclu.org]
Re:Red state? Could be real actually (Score:5, Insightful)
Ya this is far more stupid than California decriminalizing theft under $990 or NYC ending bail for extremely serious violent felons.
But those Republicans!!
California did not decriminalize theft, it simply reclassfied lower level non-violent crimes as misdemeanors https://apnews.com/article/fac... [apnews.com]
NY did not end cash bail for violent felonies, only misdemeanors and some non-violent felonies https://www.nyclu.org/en/campa... [nyclu.org]
There you go, bringing facts into an internet argument. Haven't you learned you can't fix stupid?
Shame works (Score:2)
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A better reason to refute idiots is to educate non-idiots who may not be aware of all the facts. Ignorance can at least be fixed. Stupid is forever.
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Lmao, oh son....
Open your browser. California no longer prosecutes theft below $990. That's called decriminalizing. Sheesh.
And NYC let the illegals go,who beats the fuck out of that cop two weeks ago. They had to be stopped in Arizona.
But don't let pesky facts get in your way. Might pop your thought bubble.
The tough on crime twats (Score:2)
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Yeah how cruel to arrest people for stealing so much from stores they're shutting down or keeping violent criminals off the streets.
Oh, heavens! Clutch my pearls! It's like the death penalty for stepping on the grass!!!
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You probably should dig deeper into those claims, instead of relying on claims by those who would benefit from deflecting possible problems with their own management.
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Yeah weird how after the stores get stripped clean they shut down but only in areas with high crime. I've shopped at some of those stores in California that have been shut down. Management was not the issue. Crime was. I lived in those areas. Did you? No? Ok then, thanks for your input.
*eye roll emoji goes here*
Blame the victims, much?
Re: The tough on crime twats (Score:1)
Your problem is that you *do* think we live in a star trek world where material resources are infinite and Roddenberry's New Man, who eschews millions of years' of cultural evolution and is no longer motivated by animal passions, dominates.
All else follows.
Why bother putting teeth in laws against theft, because no one is motivated to steal?
Why enforce borders, when the people trying to come across can just share in the plenty that materializes out of thin air with no limit?
Why not have a 32 hour work week,
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Ya this is far more stupid than California decriminalizing theft under $990 or NYC ending bail for extremely serious violent felons.
But those Republicans!!
Bail should end in any case. Either, you should be in custody - e.g due to an ongoing investigation, flight danger, or being a danger to the public. If there is no good reason to keep you in jail, you shouldn't have to post bail.
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The purpose of bail is to make sure you don't flee the area and return to court.
Holding people for weeks or months or sometimes years as a case makes its way through would violate the constitution.
Excuse me... (Score:4, Funny)
"or everyone's favorite, Uranus."
It's not Uranus, it's mine!
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I merged all the planets together into "Ouranus".
Just an idea... (Score:2)
We need to redirect Kuiper belt objects so they don't fall on us ( I am paraphrasing here, not an astrophysicist), so why not practice by clearing Pluto's orbit for it?
Then Pluto can be a planet again Everybody wins.
April 1st (Score:2)
Slashdot continues its April 1st tradition, I see...
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Poe's Law is pretty strong in this one, though.
Today I learned (Score:3)
Wrong dwarf planet (Score:2)
Hail Eris!
It's bigger than Pluto and Mike Brown found it at Palomar, not in some desert state where gila monsters and politicians compete for who can bite worse.
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If it's an April Fool's Day Joke... (Score:2)
They did a bit of legwork in advance.
From January:
https://www.courthousenews.com... [courthousenews.com]
"...or at least that's what we were taught. I'm never going to think differently. That's just my personal opinion."
That tracks! Far enough south for me to hold on to my prejudices.
O...kay? (Score:2)
Put it on the "things to ignore later" pile, please.
Does this not feel disloyal to anyone else? (Score:2)
Re: Does this not feel disloyal to anyone else? (Score:1)
Pluto wad discovered at Lowell Observatory in Arizona that's why. And it is not a joke google "Governor Katie Hobbs Legislative Action Update"
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Life imitates comedy, I guess. It's real after all, just silly.
Classic /. (Score:2)
Putting the "anus" back in "Uranus".
I was at Lowell Observatory (Score:3)
I visited Lowell Observatory Friday night. No mention was made of the legislation. But I did get to see the telescope Tombaugh made from discarded farm equipment, complete with a coke can for an aperture cover (not the one he used to make the Pluto observations), and Lowellâ(TM)s old telescope, still in use today. Rather than âlegislating ignoranceâ(TM) as the Slashdot reader so dismissively asserts, I find this to be a fun acknowledgment of Lowellâ(TM)s (who did the math to suggest it was out there) and Tombaughâ(TM)s achievement.
While plausible for AZ to have a sense of humor (Score:2)
Was Goofy Taken? (Score:1)
Definition bad, vote wasn't consensus (Score:1)
* While opinions are divided on whether or not Pluto, and other 'dwarf' planets are full-blown planets, the astrophysics community, by and large, doesn't like - or adhere to - the IAU planet definition. It restricts the use of 'planet' to the 8 bodies in the solar system, ignoring the 5,000+ confirmed exoplanets [caltech.edu]. It goes to great pains to attempt a definition of the low mass range (which it fails at), and doesn't define the high end of the
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Can I make Bugs Bunny my state planet?
No, but if you live in Arizona you might succeed in talking them into making The Roadrunner your state planet...