The problem of Pluto is self-resolving

I have made my desire known to the IAU that the definition of planet be narrow enough not to include such objects as Pluto and Xena. I have also informed them to think of a real name for Earths moor other than Moon.

John Wilkins wrote:

There's been some debate over whether or not Pluto is a planet. But it turns out that the problem will soon resolve itself. A paper written by the father of Andrew Dessler, back in 1980, shows (using the same logic that creationists use to prove that the speed of light is decreasing) that Pluto is actually decreasing in mass and will shortly disappear.

I suppose it was too much to hope for the same to happen to the Intelligent Design Creationist movement.

Aaagh! Can't resist, I'm sorry...

I have also informed them to think of a real name for Earths moor other than Moon.

I don't know about the Earths moor, but Venice's Moor was called Othello.

Bob

I always liked the name Desdemona. Or should we call our annoying little satellite Iago?

I heard that the astronomers of the IAU agreed to assign the term "planet" to any body that is not a star, that is large enough to become round due to its mass, which orbits a star and does not orbit another planet. Since Pluto and Charon are round, and do not orbit each other, but rather a mutual center of gravity, they are both deemed planets. Boy. I don't know what to make of this. I never liked the idea of Pluto as a planet. It was always too different. Especially its orbit. But there is a bit of elegance to their definition, I must admit. Although it does seem a tiny bit forced and essentialistic, and most essentialist concepts always have exceptions and difficulties. (Theseus' ship is always fun to contemplate.) What happens, for instance, when a planet escapes its stellar obit and becomes adrift in space? Does what was once a planet become "something else"? But who am I to argue. Whatever works for them. Nevertheless I am sad to here that Pluto might shortly disappear. For some reason, this makes me kind of depressed...

Poor Pluto's been demoted. Unlike Juventus, it won't be able to battle through the courts to get it's status back.

Now it's a dwarf planet, does it have to grow a beard?

Bob

But here's an article indicating our moon may become a planet (minor planet, I suppose) in just a few billion years:
http://english.people.com.cn/200608/24/eng20060824_296484.html

Well then we'll call it that when it does...

Could you provide a larger scan of the paper? It's too small to see or read. Where did this appear? Thanks.

Don't consider it a demotion but an elevation to higher orbital class.

Wasn't that meant to be a sarcastic joke on the fact that the estimation of Pluto's mass got smaller and smaller ever after its discovery, at most with the intention of casting doubt on the idea that Pluto ever existed? I've read about this being a sort of in-joke among astronomers...

It was certainly a sarcastic joke. But the paper is no longer available, so I can't check what it was being sarcastic for...

To get to paper, Google plutoart (name of picture above).
http://www.maryellenandtom.com/2002/planets/Plutoart.gif