The 2021 virtual I Heart Pluto Festival is produced by the nonprofit Lowell Observatory (https://lowell.edu) and is free to the public. Donations to support our ongoing science education and research can be made at https://iheartpluto.org/donate.
I Heart Pluto Festival 2021, Day 1 | https://iheartpluto.org
Keynote Talk by Dr. Alan Stern: “Why Pluto Is a Planet, the Embarrassment of the IAU, and Why They Had It Coming”
The definition of planethood adopted by the IAU in 2006 makes little sense scientifically and has been controversial since its inception. Dr. Alan Stern will discuss each of these points, as well as the alternative, and superior, Geophysical Planet Definition used by most planetary scientists. He will then describe ... view more »
I Heart Pluto Festival 2021, Day 1 | https://iheartpluto.org
Keynote Talk by Dr. Alan Stern: “Why Pluto Is a Planet, the Embarrassment of the IAU, and Why They Had It Coming”
The definition of planethood adopted by the IAU in 2006 makes little sense scientifically and has been controversial since its inception. Dr. Alan Stern will discuss each of these points, as well as the alternative, and superior, Geophysical Planet Definition used by most planetary scientists. He will then describe several ways in which the IAU’s reputation has been hurt by its ill-advised and flawed decision of 2006. Dr. Alan Stern is a planetary scientist and leads NASA’s New Horizons mission that explored the Pluto system.
