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When is a Planet Not a Planet?

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message 1: by Tracy (new)

Tracy Black | 9 comments Mod
I've been looking for a book like this for awhile. This was a good find. All of our astronomy books and science references are dated with respect to Pluto. Every time we read about the planets, I have to add in the correction. My younger children always look upset, and I have to tell them, no, evil scientists didn't blow it out of the sky, they just decided to classify it as a dwarf planet. Nope, no good. It's still getting rid of Pluto.

This lays it out in clear, kid language, why the definitions changed. It also adds in 3 more dwarf planets, Ceres, Charon, and Eris. Ahh, redemption for the evil scientists!

It's also an excellent history of astronomy.

If anyone is interested in a grown-up book on the subject, The Pluto Files by Neil deGrasse Tyson. I haven't read it yet, but Discover magazine reviewed it last month, and they usually pick pretty good.

If anyone has found a good, updated general astronomy book, please share!


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