Do you consider Pluto a planet?

Question

I'm just curios

Answer 1

"planet" is a made up word (by the Greeks) used to describe a class of objects (orginallly, anything in the sky that moved, including the sun and moon).

Since it's a made up word, it can be defined to mean whatever any individual or group decides that it should mean. Since this results, eventually, in chaos (try making a batch of pancakes when everyone defines a "cup" differently), some group is usually selected to define the meaning of the term for everyone. In astronomy, this has become the IAU (International Astronomical Union). Last year, the IAU congress voted to redefine "planet". In doing so, the solar system went back to having 8 planets, a growing number of "dwarf" planets, and a bunch of "small bodies".

So, "Is Pluto a planet?" really means, do I follow the organized, recognized crowd that voted "No" or do I go off on my own and call it a planet still?

In the paraphrased words of Forrest Gump, "planet is, as planet does". So, yes, Pluto is a planet. It's round, orbits the sun, has a set of three moons (so far), and doesn't appear to be sharing its orbit with a bunch of other bodies, which says to me that it has "cleared the area around its orbit", or at least is in an area that has been cleared, whether by Neptune or some other as yet undiscovered body.

Answer 2

That's like asking "Do I consider my hatchback an SUV" because I want it to sound impressive. It doesn't matter what I call it. I could call it a bedellikadowzer, but it would still be a shell of metal with an engine inside that the rest of the world calls a car because that's convenient

They're just words used to describe objects with certain characteristics. No, I don't consider Pluto a planet because it's not my job to define the word "planet" or to decide what Pluto should be called.

Answer 3

I answered this same question just over a month ago in the affirmative, but having read the scientific discussion regarding the updated definition of a true planet, I would have to withdraw my "yes" answer in favor of a "no". Pluto is more properly called a "minor planet" or "planetoid".

Answer 4

But there are many objects that orbits stars that aren't planets. I used to believe it was a planet and having a hard time agreeing with these scientist. Whatever they say goes right? I will have to tell my kids that Pluto used to be a planet.

Answer 5

Using the loosest definition for "planet" I would say yes, it's a planet. I would define "planet" as any spherical body directly orbiting a star.

Answer 6

of course!
scientifically it is not ttechnically a planet, but having learned pluto was a planet my whole life, to me it will remain a planet
after all, the way to remember it is my very educated mother jsut served us nine pizzas
without pluto, what does my very educated mother serve me?????

Answer 7

What the hell, call a spade a spade. I don't get the fuss about reclassifying and making hard and fast rules; if it's big, spherical and orbits a star, call it a planet already!! Why make it harder?

Answer 8

yes it is, my reason,its doing exactly what every other planet is. and like all the other planets they are orbiting the sun.it cant be a moon, because its not orbiting another planet for example our moon orbiting earth, io ganamyde callisto their orbiting jupiter.

Answer 9

No and neither do astronomers anymore. It's even been renamed I believe. It's now something like V921849Z12

Answer 10

I HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED IT A PLANET AND STILL DO EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE DECIDED TO CHANGE THE RULES.