New Mexico: Pluto's a planet darnit!!

[Raph's Girl]

The government of New Mexico has decided that Pluto is a planet after all.

Stating, "WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico is a global center for astronomy, astrophysics and planetary science," a bill has been presented to the New Mexico congress that declares:

"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that, as Pluto passes overhead through New Mexico's excellent night skies, it be declared a planet and that March 13, 2007 be declared "Pluto Planet Day" at the legislature."

Here's the entire bill:

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico is a global center for astronomy, astrophysics and planetary science; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico is home to world class astronomical observing facilities, such as the Apache Point observatory, the very large array, the Magdalena Ridge observatory and the national solar observatory; and

WHEREAS, Apache Point observatory, operated by New Mexico state university, houses the astrophysical research consortium's three-and-one-half meter telescope, as well as the unique two-and-one-half meter diameter Sloan digital sky survey telescope; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico state university has the state's only independent, doctorate-granting astronomy department; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico state university and Dona Ana county were the longtime home of Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto; and

WHEREAS, Pluto has been recognized as a planet for seventy-five years; and

WHEREAS, Pluto's average orbit is three billion six hundred ninety-five million nine hundred fifty thousand miles from the sun, and its diameter is approximately one thousand four hundred twenty-one miles; and

WHEREAS, Pluto has three moons known as Charon, Nix and Hydra; and

WHEREAS, a spacecraft called new horizons was launched in January 2006 to explore Pluto in the year 2015;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that, as Pluto passes overhead through New Mexico's excellent night skies, it be declared a planet and that March 13, 2007 be declared "Pluto Planet Day" at the legislature.

http://space.about.com/od/pluto/a/nmplutobill.htm
http://space.about.com/b/a/256870.htm?nl=1

Raph's Girl note: I just got the news in my email today so I missed Pluto Planet Day on the 13th. So... New Mexico thinks they're the leading authority in Astronomy and have a higher authority than the EU???

[Katie]

Ya know...it's nice that they took time out from other things...and I realize at the end of most sessions various state and local (and the federal guys too) legislative bodies will pass these "feel good" bills.....but, they could have spent the extra 15-20 minutes doing something more important to the state.

*shrugs* Does it matter in a thousand years whether Pluto is a planet or not?

Nah...by then it will be a penguin preserve and home of Santa Claus during the X-mas off season