Planetary predicament: Pluto's fate decided

Although Pluto will no longer be considered a planet, it will always hold a special place in the hearts and minds of students, faculty and staff at KU. Discovered in 1930 by KU alumnus Clyde Tombaugh, c'36, g'39, the ninth planet has been KU's claim to fame ever since.

In late August, a redefinition of the term "planet" by the International Astronomical Union left Pluto out of the planetary loop. Now deemed a "dwarf planet," Pluto lost its celestial status because it has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit. More than 2,500 astronomers from 75 countries participated in the heated debate, which concluded that Pluto's orbit is too closely affected by its neighbor Neptune.

Pluto, however, has not lost its status as a great discovery at KU. Tombaugh discovered Pluto on Feb. 18, 1930, while working at the Lowell Observatory near Flagstaff, Ariz. After KU, he continued to pursue astronomy and enjoyed a long and distinguished career. He died in 1997, and the University's Clyde Tombaugh Observatory is named in his honor.