Quote:
Originally Posted by TrevorW
It would have been far simpler and less controversial to leave it as it was, why vote on something that made no fundamental difference to science or affect the bulk of mankind just doesn't make sense to me but nor does the maths of quantum physics for that matter.
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Part of the IAUs function is to allocate names and define classes of astronomical objects. Nomenclature may sound like nitpicking unnecessary stuff, but being able to precisely define the things you are talking about is fundamental to good science. Given that if Pluto is accepted as a planet we would also have to accept Eris, Sedna, Quaoar and several other bodies along with potentially hundreds or thousands of others, a decision had to be made. Also, the definition of planets has changed before, back in the early 1800s the first asteroids (Ceres, Vesta, Pallas and Juno) were initially regarded as planets but as more and more similar objects were found the consensus emerged to define them as asteroids. This decision is simply continuing that tradition.
Malcolm