International Astronomical Union

In Other News, Ancient Rome Has Declared Pluto the King of the Underworld…

John Paczkowski in News on March 6, 2009 at 3:46 pm PT

Pluto’s sullied celestial reputation has been restored. In brazen defiance of the International Astronomical Union–which famously demoted Pluto to dwarf planet in 2006–the State of Illinois this week passed a resolution restoring Pluto’s planetary status.

Celestial Plutoids? Shoulda Used Preparation P

John Paczkowski in News on June 12, 2008 at 11:05 am PT

Delisted from the pantheon of celestial bodies back in 2006 for its weaker than expected planethood, and then pronounced second best to Eris, its recently discovered neighbor, Pluto is no longer the solar system’s bastard stepchild. Yesterday, the International Astronomical Union, which struck Pluto from the planetary rolls, decreed that all “transneptunian dwarf planets similar to Pluto” will henceforth be called “Plutoids.”