Yesterday, March 13, Illinois' Senate passed a bill that re-instated Pluto to a full planetary status, despite the fact that the celestial body lost an “election” with the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) some three years ago, in which its classification was changed to the new class - “dwarf planet.” However, seeing how the planet's discoverer, Clyde Tombaugh, was born in Streator, Illinois, the new decision of the state's Senate should come as no surprise.
Also, March 13 was the 79th anniversary of the celestial body, which was first discovered on February 18, 1930, after Tombaugh analyzed a number of pictures of the solar system, which depicted celestial bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. The rights to name the objected rested with the Lowell Observatory, in Flagstaff, Arizona, where the astronomer worked. There were numerous proposals for the name of the body, but finally Venetia Burney, an eleven-year-old schoolgirl in Oxford, England, came up with the name Pluto, which she thought was appropriate for such a cold world.
Over the years, astronomers have been in two minds about the status of the new planet, with many saying it was nothing more than an asteroid, while others argued that it was another object in Kuiper's Belt, the large mass of asteroids that orbit the Sun at the outer edges of the solar system. In 2006, the IAU decided to reclassify the planet, and downgraded it to a dwarf one, which sparked numerous reactions.
The scientific and astronomical communities were instantly divided in supporters and detractors, and each side underwent a long campaign of persuading the other of its mistakes. However, since there is little anyone can do, some states began disregarding the IAU decision. For instance, New Mexico announced that Pluto would always be a planet when above its skies, thus honoring Tombaugh, a long-term resident of the area.
Just recently, the state of Illinois adopted the same measure, on account of the fact that the astronomer was born in the state. Legally speaking, these resolutions are non-binding, just like that of the IAU. But it does carry significance for the people of the state, and shows the great degree of opposition that the 2006 decision generated. From now on, March 13 will be known as “Pluto Planet Day” throughout Illinois and New Mexico.
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