|
|
Article: Q: Why is a Pluto no longer a planet?
- Article from:
- Science and Children
- Article date:
- November 1, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 National Science Teachers Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: Bill Robertson
Brian Diskin
In recent years astronomers discovered a number of objects in the solar system that are similar to the dwarf planet formerly known as Pluto.
On August 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) decided that Pluto is no longer a planet, but rather a "dwarf planet." How did this happen? Did astronomers discover new information about Pluto? Did our understanding of the solar system undergo a radical change? Nah. It might seem that way, though. A few scientists seemed rather upset about the reclassification of Pluto, and many science educators have hailed this as a major change in scientific ...