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08/24/2006: "Pluto Gets the Boot"

As a young student, I hated homework. To me, there was just too much memorization of meaningless facts. The only thing that kept it interesting were some of the interesting mnemonics creative folks put together to help the memory-challenged. To this day, I can remember the color code for electronic components thanks to a politically incorrect phrase learned in the 10th grade - "Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls, But Violet Gives Willingly."

My point? Another favorite was the one used to remember the 9 planets in our solar system - "My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine Planets." Unfortunately, as of yesterday, that's no longer true.

Ever since Pluto was discovered in 1930, the debate has raged over whether it was truly a planet. As more was learned about it, the battle has edged for and against Pluto. When a moon was discovered orbiting the planet in 1978, some thought the argument would end. But when an icy body larger than Pluto was discovered a few years back - an object no one felt was a true planet - the battle was engaged anew.

This week, the International Astronomical Union met in Prague to resolve the planetary issue. For a while, it looked as if a new definition of planethood would be adopted that would raise the total from nine to twelve - including Pluto's moon, Charon. But yesterday, the word came down - the new total is eight, and Pluto is reduced to just another astronomical body.

I guess from now on, schoolchildren will have to learn to recite "My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nothing." No word yet on whether Disney plans to remove their "Pluto" from the universe - no doubt in favor of Goofy. Actually, that's a pretty good description of this whole issue ...