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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."

3 of 512 comments (clear)

  1. Must have been a slow day in Springfield... by DarkTitan_X · · Score: 0, Redundant
    I'm glad that amidst a major financial crisis, Illinois has nothing better to do than declare Pluto a planet. This is government in action here, folks.

    Now quit dilly-dallying and start taking care of the real issues.

    I know, I know, good luck with that.

    --
    ~Mike (Titan_X)
  2. Re:Pluto is a planet and its a question of words by tomrud · · Score: 0, Redundant

    well, if pluto is a planet, then so are Haumea, Makemake, and Eris.

    and it's precisely because of these things that someone had to say "well, these things shouldn't really be planets, and Pluto is more like them than it is like anything else..."

    No, the common use of the word planet has never included these three.
    This is how it can be with non scientific language, words doesn't always have strict definitions. And the word "planet" has been used to mean one of the original nine.

    --
    For a nice date: Call strftime(3C)!
  3. Re:Pff this is ridiculous by evan_arrrr! · · Score: 0, Redundant

    AHAHAHAHAHA. good one.