The flight of the spacecraft New Horizons renewed calls for Pluto be reinstated in the club of planets, which was ousted unceremoniously in 2006.
However, Dr. Mike Brown of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena (USA), who loves to be cataloged as the man who ‘killed’ Pluto , he told the BBC that those who argue that it is returned to the category of planet, should no longer continue living in the past.
“The people most hear talking about I reintroduce are those involved in the mission ( New Horizons ). It is emotionally difficult for them, “he said.
” They want to Pluto is the planet because they want the mission is exploring a planet. It would be better to assume the reality that it is not and to rejoice in the fact that they are going to a new type of celestial object in the outer solar system. “
Knockout
Calls for this Explanet was demoted to dwarf planet intensified after an astronomical object beyond Pluto . Some argued that dwarf the current planet was simply the first resident discovered in the region of the outer solar system.
But the coup de grace was given by Professor Brown with the discovery of Eris dwarf planet in January 2005. It is equal to Pluto , but with greater mass.
This was one of the findings that eventually led to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to establish a committee to consider how they should be defined planets.
Pluto and its moon.
The IAU was forced to decide in 2006 whether to admit Eris and other small worlds like Ceres, or expel Pluto . It was a decision or another, the status quo was not an option.
Professor Brown said that if the UAI had decided to keep Pluto as a planet and admit Eris eventually would It led to consider hundreds of candidates, possibly thousands.
“There is no other way to categorize our solar system describing it as one comprised of eight key objects which are the planets we all know. It is well keep Pluto and classify it as one of the greatest celestial objects because it is not, “says the BBC.
So how Professor Brown felt the day you heard that Pluto had been demoted? Was a moment of joy or guilt?
The specialist said it was more like a cold-blooded murder necessary for the good of science.
“It was very clear to me over the years that Pluto had been wrongly classified. So was happy with the idea (to degrade), to go back and correct those mistakes, “said Brown.
No remorse
The New Horizons mission of NASA celebrates the passage of the probe near the dwarf planet.
The degradation of Pluto continues to generate heated discussions. Many scientists say it should remain a planet, arguing that looks like one behaves like one and has been for three quarters of a century.
Brown Do you have regrets? “No, no. But I’m sorry for the way things have occurred in the last decade since Pluto was demoted. I wish people would assume that Pluto is an interesting member of the Kuiper Belt rather than embarking on discussions that this celestial body is a planet or not. “
Mike Brown title seems to enjoy. In fact it uses on its website. In addition, his book is entitled. “How I killed Pluto and why he deserved”
He says the title was a joke, but in No one really understood at the time.
“I thought it was fun to talk about ‘kill Pluto ‘ because this was the god of the underworld, but no one really understood” he said.
“It’s a bold claim is striking. And that is important from the educational point of view. I want people to understand what the solar system and if that description scandalous help, then I I’m happy. “
insults Post
Brown still receives emails and tweets with insults he says people who learned in school that Pluto was a planet.
But he says that children who have grown up with the notion that Pluto is not a planet, like so. He believes that the controversy will die slowly.
“The sun and moon were once planets (or thought they were), but then we realized some time ago that it was not. I think it’s much more interesting assume the existence of this new type of celestial object to stick with the idea that there is a strange planet on the borders of the solar system. “
” I hope that after New Horizons , these discussions are finished and start talking about Pluto and what we have learned over other Kuiper Belt. “
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