Daily Archives: December 3, 2006

Poor Pluto: Why It Got Stripped of Planet Status – 12 Noon – Weds., Dec. 6th – Library Browsing Area

Poor Pluto: Why it Got Stripped of Planet Status
Speaker: Elliott Horch, Ph.D

In August of this year, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) voted to pass a new resolution on what defines a planet. Pluto, the body we all were taught was the “9th planet”, does not meet the new guidelines, and has been reclassified as a “dwarf planet”. Why would the IAU take such a drastic step? The discussion will center around why the change has been discussed as we have learned more about the solar system and its origins.

Place: Library Browsing Area

Date: 12/6/06 – Wednesday
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Open: To Public

Contact: Catherine Fortier Barnes, X8665
Email: cfortier@umassd.edu