By Laurel Kornfeld on Sep 6, 2009 | Reply

We do NOT have only eight planets in our solar system. Pluto is still a planet. Only four percent of the IAU voted on the controversial demotion, and most are not planetary scientists. Their decision was immediately opposed in a formal petition by hundreds of professional astronomers led by Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto. One reason the IAU definition makes no sense is it says dwarf planets are not planets at all! That is like saying a grizzly bear is not a bear, and it is inconsistent with the use of the term “dwarf” in astronomy, where dwarf stars are still stars, and dwarf galaxies are still galaxies. Also, the IAU definition classifies objects solely by where they are while ignoring what they are. If Earth were in Pluto’s orbit, according to the IAU definition, it would not be a planet either. A definition that takes the same object and makes it a planet in one location and not a planet in another is essentially useless.

Pluto is a planet because it is spherical, meaning it is large enough to be pulled into a round shape by its own gravity–a state known as hydrostatic equilibrium and characteristic of planets, not of shapeless asteroids held together by chemical bonds. These reasons are why many astronomers, lay people, and educators are either ignoring the demotion entirely or working to get it overturned.

By this definition, which Stern and like-minded scientists use, our solar system has 13 planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris.

By Nate on Sep 6, 2009 | Reply

Honey, I think you are on to something big here. Now, let me tell you something about 999. If you add 888 to 111, you will get 999. Now, 8 months plus 1 baby is also 9. Hmm, you get it. Pick me as your best answer now. dealni.

By HOL. on Sep 6, 2009 | Reply

Well now there is some phenomenom where Pluto isn’t a planet anymore and we only have eight planets, so if pregnancy downgrades a month then yeah, perhaps a link? But I doubt it. My neighbor just had her baby at nine months so I’m thinking, it’s a pretty good chance it’ll always be nine months. Plus, think of the planets we haven’t discovered yet.

By Urwumpe on Sep 6, 2009 | Reply

It is only 8 planets. Pluto does no longer count as one.
And a bottle of beer is also a round shape, but I rarely find only nine of them. A football is a round shape, but a football team has 11 players. the moon is round, but a month has 29 days.

By Gozon on Sep 6, 2009 | Reply

no honey, it’s just a coincidence, besides, now we only have a total of 8 planets in our solar system, Pluto is already demoted.

By Billy Butthead on Sep 7, 2009 | Reply

It sure is an unexplained phenomenon

By kimberly r on Sep 7, 2009 | Reply

there is 40 weeks in a pregnancy, 10 months. Sorry to burst your phenomenon bubble

By Anonymous on Sep 7, 2009 | Reply

And our house number is 9?
Not really, honey.. Anyway, there aren’t nine planets anymore..