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Illinois Declares Pluto a Planet

Posted by timothy on from the after-ruling-out-pebble-and-mailing-tube dept.

The Bad Astronomer writes "The legislators in Illinois, always on the lookout for more places to find voters, have passed a resolution declaring Pluto is a planet. I'm not sure what else can be said here, except that — besides overstepping their jurisdiction just a wee bit — they make a couple of scientific howlers in the resolution itself."

6 of 512 comments (clear)

  1. Politicians wonder... by mc1138 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why no one trusts them to get things done anymore... We're in the biggest financial crisis in years and they spent the time to declare Pluto a planet. It means nothing, is non binding, and shows a huge disconnect between the political scene and the general populace.

    --
    The musings of just another geek and his junk.
    1. Re:Politicians wonder... by Notquitecajun · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Frankly, the more time they spend doing silly crap like this, the less time the spend screwing something important up. It's too bad it wastes tax dollars to do it, though...

  2. Too right! by Xest · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah. I vote that Illinois also changes the definition of a mile and shortens it so that their residents can get more miles to the gallon! I also vote that they cut the definition of an hour down to 30mins to shorten my working day.

    Consensus and standards be damned, they're just definitions!

  3. Re:Pff this is ridiculous by tritonman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This just proves that fact that politicians are freaking idiots.

  4. There is a good reason for this ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If Pluto isn't a planet, it will cost a bunch of money to replace all the fifty year old science texts.

    If Pluto is a planet, they can keep using the fifty year old science texts.

    What, you think I'm kidding! You obviously aren't a teacher.

  5. They missed something. by Stoutlimb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The law is written thusly: "that as Pluto passes overhead through Illinois night skies, that it be reestablished with full planetary status"

    Because Illinois is a northerly state... does Pluto ever actually pass "overhead"? Ever? Pluto's orbital inclination to the sun is about 11 degrees at maximum. The latitude of Illinois is much higher than that, at about 36 degrees. So Pluto may never pass through their air space, even if the borders of Illinois are extended upwards to infinity.

    But since Pluto can never truly be "overhead", does that mean the law never actually goes into effect?

    Comments? Suggestions?