The Case for Pluto How a Little Planet Made a Big Difference

by Boyle, Alan

• ISBN13: 9780470505441
• ISBN10: 0470505443
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-11-09
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

In support of Pluto-the cutest and most unfairly treated planetPity poor Pluto: it's a planet that was discovered because of a mistake, a planet that turned out not to be a planet at all, thanks to a still-disputed decision made in 2006.And yet, Pluto is the planet best-loved by Americans, especially children, one that may have contained the building blocks of life billions of years ago and may well serve as life's last redoubt billions of years from now.In The Case for Pluto, award-winning science writer Alan Boyle traces the tiny planet's ups and downs, its strange appeal, the reasons behind its demotion and the reasons why it should be set back in the planetary pantheon. Tells the compelling story of Pluto's discovery, how it became a cultural object, and why it should still be considered a planet Makes the case for Pluto as planet, countering the books that argue against it Comes in a small, friendly package-just like Pluto-and features a handsome design, making it a great giftAbsorbing and easy to read, The Case for Pluto is the must-read tale of a cosmic underdog that has captured the hearts of millions: an endearing little planet that is changing the way we see the universe beyond our backyard.

Author Biography

Alan Boyle is the science editor for MSNBC.com and also appears on MSNBC news. He has won multiple awards for his science writing from the the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Association of Science Writers, and the Space Frontier Foundation.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

The Planet in the Cornfield

Fellow Wanderers

The Search for Planet X

Pluto and Its Little Pals

The Meaning of a Moon

There Goes the Neighborhood

Not Yet Explored

Betting on the Tenth Planet

The Battle of Prague

The Lighter Side of Pluto

1 The Great Planet Debate

The Day of the Dwarfs

Planet X Redux

Alien Plutos

The Case for Pluto

What to Tell Your Kids about Planets

The International Astronomical Union's Resolutions and Revisions

Planetary Vital Statistics

Notes

Selected Bibliography

Credits

Index

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