Sunday, August 27, 2006
Mumbai Mirror
Mumbai Mirror: "Pluto ko bachao
Indian astronomers plan to write to the International Astronomical Union asking it to reinstate the demoted heavenly body as a planet
K A Dodhiya
Not happy with Pluto’s demotion from our Solar System, Indian astronomers are fighting to have it reinstated. The Indian Planetary Society (IPS) is writing to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the group of astronomers who demoted Pluto, to re-consider their decision.
J J Rawal, IPS president and member of the IAU claims that the grounds on which the planet was demoted are flimsy and unjustified.
“Pluto has all the qualifications of a planet. The conclusion was based solely on the grounds that the atmosphere around Pluto was unclear hence it could not be considered as a planet. However, as Pluto is spherical in shape, has gravity, goes around the sun like other planets and has been accepted as a member of the planetary system since 1930, it qualifies as a planet,” said Rawal, also a former director of Nehru Planetarium.
Rawal said he has drafted a letter to the IAU president urging her to reinstate Pluto and include Xena, another celestial body. “We will be sending our protest with the signatures of other members who feel the same way and ask the IAU president to revoke the decision,” said Rawal.
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Indian astronomers plan to write to the International Astronomical Union asking it to reinstate the demoted heavenly body as a planet
K A Dodhiya
Not happy with Pluto’s demotion from our Solar System, Indian astronomers are fighting to have it reinstated. The Indian Planetary Society (IPS) is writing to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the group of astronomers who demoted Pluto, to re-consider their decision.
J J Rawal, IPS president and member of the IAU claims that the grounds on which the planet was demoted are flimsy and unjustified.
“Pluto has all the qualifications of a planet. The conclusion was based solely on the grounds that the atmosphere around Pluto was unclear hence it could not be considered as a planet. However, as Pluto is spherical in shape, has gravity, goes around the sun like other planets and has been accepted as a member of the planetary system since 1930, it qualifies as a planet,” said Rawal, also a former director of Nehru Planetarium.
Rawal said he has drafted a letter to the IAU president urging her to reinstate Pluto and include Xena, another celestial body. “We will be sending our protest with the signatures of other members who feel the same way and ask the IAU president to revoke the decision,” said Rawal.
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