Dang! Pluto's been demoted

And I so liked that goofy dog!

Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm just using a pitifully poor joke to temper my sadness that the International Astronomical Union, instead of going with the proposal that would have made our solar system larger by three orbs (mentioned earlier today in my post "Taxonia"), opted instead to deplanetize poor Pluto.

Of course, the late change also creates similarity #4 between tax writers and astronomers: course reversals late in the deliberative process!

But it's too bad Pluto lost its planetary status. The thing's so far out there anyway, and so cold.

And I'm kind of sad that the solar system models I made as a kid, with Styrofoam, tennis and red rubber balls are now wrong. Not that my mother kept them. (You didn't, did you, Mum? Just the geographic salt maps, right?)

Then again, they would have been outdated with the other decision, too. Ah well, time, at light speed in space, marches on.

One good thing, though, remains. Since Pluto is now deemed a "dwarf" planet, the Disney naming connection can continue for future spheres with Sleepy, Grumpy, Dopey, Happy, Sneezy, Bashful and Doc.

"Society Dog Show," 1939, Mickey and Pluto, © Disney by Walt Disney; available from AllPosters.com