Pluto becomes one less planet to memorize

By Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Pluto’s lost status disappointed
some schoolchildren and had space museum curators scrambling
but in the words of one teenager, “It’s one less planet to
memorize.”

Quinn Huebner, 15, was visiting the Smithsonian
Institution’s National Air and Space Museum on Thursday when he
and his family from Mazomanie, Wisconsin, learned international
astronomers had decided Pluto was no longer a planet.

His sister Grace, 11, also voiced relief. Had Pluto
remained a planet, at least three similar objects could have
been upgraded and “that would mean there would be more planets
to memorize,” she said.

James Zimbelman, curator of the museum’s “Explore the
Planets” exhibit, said children often inquired about what had
been the solar system’s smallest planet. He said he could
accept the change.

“I can live with it,” he said as he stood in the now
outdated exhibit. For now, some labels would be added to
acknowledge Pluto’s demotion, he said.

Other young visitors did their best to cope with the
demotion.

“Seriously! Pluto is not a planet?” asked Michael
O’Sullivan, 11, of Garden City, N.Y.

After a moment of thinking, he added: “At least Pluto the
dog doesn’t have to compete with the planet anymore,” referring
to the Disney cartoon character named after the planet.

Walt Disney Co spokesman Donn Walker said “Pluto is taking
this news in stride, and we have no reason to believe he might
bite an astronomer.”

Ethan Olson, an eighth-grade student from Canfield, Ohio,
said he was disappointed by the decision.

“It’s big enough to be one, I guess,” he said.

The museum will decide later how to rearrange the exhibit
and what to do about its most important feature, “The Family of
the Sun” song.

Sung to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell” the song was
designed to help young children learn about and memorize the
names of the nine planets.

After watching the show, three-year-old Tyler Roonprapunt
of New York could only smile and ask “Why?” when his mom told
him he now would have to learn a new song.