Washington County / Want to see Pluto? Drive to Afton

How powerful is the telescope that will be housed in Belwin Conservancy's new observatory? You'll be able to see Pluto.

[Laurel Kornfeld]

I am a huge fan of PLANET Pluto, and one of my life goals is to see Pluto through a telescope. Since I live in a very light-polluted area, I just may have to visit Belwin to fulfill this goal!

[citizen joe]

Laurel Kornfeld wrote:

I am a huge fan of PLANET Pluto, and one of my life goals is to see Pluto through a telescope. Since I live in a very light-polluted area, I just may have to visit Belwin to fulfill this goal!

pluto's not a planet.

[Smartass]

who gives a RA ?

[Margie Gunderson]

citizen joe wrote:

<quoted text>
pluto's not a planet.

Now Pluto is a lowly dwarf.

I saw a TV show last week where they showed the International Astronomers Union's final vote in 2006 to ban Pluto as a planet.

From Wiki:
The Illinois State Senate passed a resolution in 2009, on the basis that Clyde Tombaugh, the discoverer of Pluto, was born in Illinois. The resolution asserted that Pluto was "unfairly downgraded to a 'dwarf' planet" by the IAU.[134]

I wonder how "Plutonians" feel about being on a "dwarf planet?"

[Margie Gunderson]

Smartass wrote:

who gives a RA ?

Mickey, Minnie and me, Margie.

[Smartass]

Margie Gunderson wrote:

<quoted text>
Mickey, Minnie and me, Margie.

Thank you I wondered what 3M stood for.

[Margie Gunderson]

Smartass wrote:

<quoted text>Thank you I wondered what 3M stood for.

Anytime ...

[Andy]

Want to see Uranus? Drive to north Minneapolis.

[sock]

I think it's great they are putting in a video system so joe public can get a look see. I've been to the top of Mauna Kea and found out that no, you can't look through ANY of the telescopes there, although there is a public telescope halfway up that you can look through

[HAROLDandKUMAR]

science sawx!

[Laurel Kornfeld]

Margie Gunderson wrote:

<quoted text>
Now Pluto is a lowly dwarf.
I saw a TV show last week where they showed the International Astronomers Union's final vote in 2006 to ban Pluto as a planet.
From Wiki:
The Illinois State Senate passed a resolution in 2009, on the basis that Clyde Tombaugh, the discoverer of Pluto, was born in Illinois. The resolution asserted that Pluto was "unfairly downgraded to a 'dwarf' planet" by the IAU.[134]
I wonder how "Plutonians" feel about being on a "dwarf planet?"

That TV show likely didn't tell you the whole story of that vote. Only four percent of the IAU voted on the demotion, most of whom are not planetary scientists. Their decision was immediately rejected by hundreds of professional astronomers in a petition led by Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto. The IAU made a political decision, not a scientific one. Just because they pass a resolution doesn't mean that resolution is gospel truth.

[Margie Gunderson]

Laurel Kornfeld wrote:

<quoted text>
That TV show likely didn't tell you the whole story of that vote. Only four percent of the IAU voted on the demotion, most of whom are not planetary scientists. Their decision was immediately rejected by hundreds of professional astronomers in a petition led by Dr. Alan Stern, Principal Investigator of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto. The IAU made a political decision, not a scientific one. Just because they pass a resolution doesn't mean that resolution is gospel truth.

The show was pretty thorough and presented both sides. I was fascinated by the politics both pro- and anti-planet. Very complex. I prefer to think of Pluto and Eres as "planets." The "dwarf" thing could go ... but that is a common astronomical term.

Speaking of odd terms, I learned recently thay British and Irish mountains are rated as to whether they are high enough to be "Marilyns" or not.

And in Scotland, the highest peaks are called ... you got it ... "Munros." Named after Sir Hugh Munro, not Marilyn Monroe, but the homophony seems more than mere coincidence ...

[unknown]

stupid guys whoever made this sight