"Magnificent Universe" wrote:
A free fact sheet summarizing arguments both for and against Pluto's
planethood is now available for teachers and others interested in the Pluto
controversy. This is a PDF file that can be downloaded from
http://www.boydsmillspress.com/pluto.pdf . Please allow a couple minutes to
download.
Correct email: MagnificentUniverse "at" yahoo "dot" com.

I'd take issue with a couple the yes-no arguments.

Orbit: The "yes" argument doesn't address the fact that Pluto's orbit
is so eccentric that it crosses Neptune's orbit. Alone, a simliar
eccentricity in another planet's orbit is a different argument.

KBO: You mention Eris as being larger than Pluto, then say that's
reason for Pluto being a planet. But not Eris? And there could be
larger objects yet - should they also be classified as planets? And
although Pluto is very large as KBOs go, that doesn't mean Pluto
should necessarily follow as being a planet. For example, Ceres is
very large (even spherical) for asteroids, but it is not called a
planet.

An additional argument could be made regarding classical planets vs.
modern, and the detection methods. Pluto has been a planet for over 7
decades, and was the largest body discovered by film photography and
manual inspection of the photographs by mechanical blink-comparator.
Basically, it was the last, largest, body discovered by a combination
of analog/mechanical/human collaboration. Now it's done by computer,
such as digital imaging.

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- Dale Gombert (SkySea at aol.com)
122.38W, 47.58N, W. Seattle, WA
http://flavorj.com/~skysea