Friday, September 01, 2006

vale Pluto


By now it’s old news that Pluto has been declared to no longer be a planet, but I couldn’t let the opportunity pass without comment. If you didn’t know, the discovery of a number of “celestial bodies” of similar size to Pluto (such as the the dwarf planets Ceres and Xena) has prompted astronomers to redefine what a planet is, and Pluto, which is smaller than our moon, doesn’t meet the new criteria because of its size.

It’s kind of fitting that Pluto was partly undone by Ceres. Ceres (Gk. Demeter) was the Roman goddess of grain (cf. cereal), whose daughter, Proserpina (Gk. Persephone), Pluto kidnapped to be his wife, and queen of the underworld. Ceres and Pluto eventually came to a joint custody arrangement, with the earth plunged into mourning each winter, when Proserpina went to be with her husband (watch the story). It now seems that Ceres has finally had her revenge in contributing to the relegation of Pluto.

[update: save Pluto]

[picture shows an artist's impression of Pluto and its moon, Charon]

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

thats very interesting mr morrison. havn't been into news lately, guess i've sort of been under a rock.

Anonymous said...

Wow. You know how to use a blog better than all.

Did you know Tristan's father was on the commitee that decided the above?

She's not speaking to him. And I told her to hit him for me.

Poor Pluto.

Anonymous said...

By the way, what does this mean...

Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo
Ipse domi simul ac nummos centemplar in arca

Anonymous said...

I miss Pluto! I only learnt the names of the planets in order a couple of weeks ago!

Eheu!

Did you know Tristan's dad was on the panel that decided to eradicate Pluto's planet-status?

REALLY going to study, now.

Anonymous said...

Where is your "good luck to my year eleven girls, who start exams tomorrow" message? I AM GOING TO FAIL BUSINESS SO BADLY THAT I AM CONSIDERING EATING MY OWN FACE IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A MEDICAL CERITIFCATE AND GET OUT OF THE TEST. But don't worry, I will not fail Latin! Even if I do fail everything else...

Anonymous said...

Woah! Ally! Similar trains of thought, you and I.

Anonymous said...

RIP Steve Irwin..
just thought id say that

Anonymous said...

He (my father) said that he had a good reason for it, and then he told me, and then I forgot.

I managed to blank him for about half an hour anyway, and then I hit him for you, Ally.

Then he bought me lavish things so I had to cease and desist.

My apologies, Mr. Morrison, for my fathers dastardly act. And now I shall run to the piano lesson I am twenty minutes late for.