Scientists Propose to Make Pluto a Planet Again

A team of scientists from the University of Central Florida calls on the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to redefine the criteria for planets. They also believe that Pluto should be reclassified as planet after losing this status in 2006.

Pluto was removed from the list of planets because it is not massive enough to exert its orbital dominance and cannot clear the space around its orbit of other objects. In a new paper, scientists argue that the requirement of a planet's gravitational dominance around its orbit is a criterion based not on science but on "folklore and astrology."

Astronomers believe that a planet is a geologically active cosmic body. Its structure is important. That is precisely what scientists thought even 400 years ago, but 200 years ago, these views began to change when astrological almanacs became popular.

If the approach to defining planets is reconsidered, the status of a planet would be given not only to Pluto, but also to the Moon, dwarf planets, asteroids, as well as geologically active satellites of giant planets such as Titan.