Breaking News: Sorry Pluto! Only 8 Planets

Doh! Well, if you read the blog from last week, it appeared that we were going to have Twelve planets, including the gaining-in-popularity "2003 UB313". Well, today, as reported on the front page of the Detroit Free Press, just the opposite has occurred! According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the definition of the word "planet" now excludes those additional orbiting bodies. AND it also demotes loveable Pluto from the list! (If you can call a huge rock in space "loveable".)

The current answer to the question "How many planets are in the Solar System?" is now "Eight".

Zillions of text books need to be re-written.

Plastic Model maker companies are thrilled at the chance to sell completely new versions of the Solar System Model.

The famous (or not-so-famous) mnemonic "My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas" now needs to be changed to "My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nothing!"

Yes, cute little Pluto is no longer a planet. I'm a little bummed that it's now demoted to "a mere dwarf planet". No matter how lovable, now it will never return our calls.

(See the Space Weather link at the right for SpaceWeather, or check www.freep.com)