Eulogy for the Lonely Planet
No, I'm not talking about the travel books.
Our once nine-planet solar system has lost its youngest member. On August 24th of this year, Pluto was demoted to the status of "dwarf planet" with Ceres and recently-named Eris. Already, school books are being revised to depict the eight-planet solar system -- the next generation of impudent children will probably think you're crazy if you ever talk about nine planets.
I don't even want to think of the impact this will have on all the sci-fi written to date. All those ill-fated futuristic programs -- you'd think they'd have enough to worry about trying to foresee all the new gadgets we would have invented in the future without having to predict the rewritten past as well.
Oh, Pluto, you've given me so many memories. Your icy mystery was an inspiration to me. Your eccentric orbit, which had you technically alternate between being the ninth and eighth planet, fascinated my eager young mind. Your moon, which was almost your equal in size, delighted and confused me. I was going to write you a haiku, but there's only so much you can fit into one of those damn things, so instead, I will toast your memory with a nice stiff drink:
Pluto is dead!
Long live (134340) Pluto!
R.I.P.
Pluto
1930 - 2006
Our once nine-planet solar system has lost its youngest member. On August 24th of this year, Pluto was demoted to the status of "dwarf planet" with Ceres and recently-named Eris. Already, school books are being revised to depict the eight-planet solar system -- the next generation of impudent children will probably think you're crazy if you ever talk about nine planets.
I don't even want to think of the impact this will have on all the sci-fi written to date. All those ill-fated futuristic programs -- you'd think they'd have enough to worry about trying to foresee all the new gadgets we would have invented in the future without having to predict the rewritten past as well.
Oh, Pluto, you've given me so many memories. Your icy mystery was an inspiration to me. Your eccentric orbit, which had you technically alternate between being the ninth and eighth planet, fascinated my eager young mind. Your moon, which was almost your equal in size, delighted and confused me. I was going to write you a haiku, but there's only so much you can fit into one of those damn things, so instead, I will toast your memory with a nice stiff drink:
Pluto is dead!
Long live (134340) Pluto!
R.I.P.
Pluto
1930 - 2006