Pluto's planetary status defended on the Daily Show

Pluto is a planet, in spite of the controversial demotion by four percent of the International Astronomical Union, most of whom are not planetary scientists, in a process that violated their own bylaws. It is a planet because unlike most objects in the Kuiper Belt, it has attained hydrostatic equilibrium, meaning it has enough self-gravity to have pulled itself into a round shape. When an object is large enough for this to happen, it becomes differentiated with core, mantle, and crust, just like Earth and the larger planets, and develops the same geological processes as the larger planets, processes that inert asteroids and most KBOs do not have. The IAU decision was immediately opposed by an equal number of professional astronomers led by Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto. Even now, there are efforts underway by both scientists and lay people to have Pluto's planet status (and the planet status of all dwarf planets) reinstated.

Thanks for your comments about this - I too laughed out loud. And thank you Laurel for the scientific information that confirms what astrologers have known for some time - that no matter what you call him, Pluto packs a powerful punch!!