Pluto Revisited: The Case for Reinstating Its Planetary Status

The New Horizons space probe voyage to Pluto has helped to create new interest in learning about our solar system. And it has refocused attention on the issue of Pluto’s demotion from planetary status. I hope to convince you, in this article, that this unfortunate decision should be reversed.

The best shot yet. NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI

The New Horizons space probe voyage to Pluto has helped to create new interest in learning about our solar system. And it has refocused attention on the issue of Pluto’s demotion from planetary status. I hope to convince you, in this article, that this unfortunate decision should be reversed.

Classification is an important part of all analysis, as it allows us to view and infer patterns of information. The issues raised are not confined to astronomy, as classification is integral to most areas of science and social science, including medicine and politics.

Space scientists are a venerable group. They combine excellent analytical capabilities with the tenacity to study natural phenomena that are not on human timescales.