Hello.
Pluto speaking here.
Look, I wasn’t very happy when some scientists took away my “full planetary” status in 2006 without even consulting me. Let’s show them I’m not alone.
I’ve been thinking about it—and this whole “dwarf” thing has never really sat well with me. And my moon Charon is not altogether thrilled about it either. That would make her the moon of a dwarf planet, or, is she even a moon anymore?
And then they gave me a number for my “minor planet designation.” It’s “134340.” That doesn’t sound very special to me. One minute I’m named after a god. And the next thing I know someone has placed this completely arbitrary and bogus number in front of my name. Not after it mind you. Like this: 134340 Pluto.
I am a planet. A full planet, okay. Not a half-planet. Not a pre-planet. Not an object. I’m just a smallish planet.
And not only is the term ‘dwarf’ discriminatory, it’s also derogatory.
One wonders what’s next. Am I to be further demoted to “giant asteroid” and later simply “asteroid” when you can’t be bothered classifying everything properly? Do particle physicists ever label electrons “dwarf electrons?” No. No, I didn’t think so. Beta particle maybe when they stray off on their own, but never—I repeat never—a dwarf electron. And orbital shapes have nothing to do with it.
So I’d like to set the record straight. I’m not a Kuiper Belt Object. I’m not a plutoid. I’m not a dwarf planet. I’m not a minor planet. I’m not just a number.
I am a planet. A full planet, okay. Not a half-planet. Not a pre-planet. Not an object. I’m just a smallish planet. Just because my orbit happens to lie beyond the orbits of bigger planets does not make me any less of a planet, alright. I have five moons, for crying out loud.
So stand with me and let your voices be heard. Let’s let the International Astronomical Union, Planetary Science Institute, Planetary Society, Lunar and Planetary Institute, International Association of Planetary Sciences, NASA and Prof. Michael E. Brown (aka @plutokiller) know how we feel!
