The End of Astrology?
It has just been decided by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), that Pluto has lost its status as a planet.
A “planet” is now defined as (IAU):
…a celestial body that: (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (c) has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.
Pluto fails on the third criteria, (c).
Does this mean the end of astrology? What theories will be invented to revive it?
Well, I’m sure it’s not the end of days for astrologers (and other crackpots) yet – for example, you can still obtain a free computer-generated horoscope here.
Update: there is a critical discussion about the definition of a “planet”, and whether we should really care much about such a definition, at Bad Astronomy; and Alan Stern, leader of NASA’s New Horizon’s mission to Pluto, thinks that the definition stinks.
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They just do as astrologers did when Ceres, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were discovered. They add them to their charts and say they predicted their existance (!).
If astrologers knew Pluto wasn’t a planet why did they inlude it for the last 70+ years?
It’ll take more than some convention to put astrolgers out of business, although it would be nice if they got relegated to some obscure part of the solar system.
I really don’t understand this people. Have these scientist become so brainy that they’ve gone crazy already. I don’t get the deal about changing things around when its been years since we have adapted with these theories and information. Why not leave everything as is.