So, some friends of ours have learned about "Planet X" in school...

[Desdichado]

In the 80s, I'm not aware of any reason why Pluto would not have been a planet, other than the fact that it was discovered in 1978 to be a fair amount smaller than expected. But there was no knowledge of an entire population(s) of trans-Neptunian objects. It wasn't really until the discovery of 1992 QB₁ that astronomers (not astrologers) started crying for Pluto to be "downgraded." Prior to that, there really wasn't anything else that it could have been.

I do agree, though that if the definition of a planet includes Pluto, I can't think of any way that it could exclude 2003 UB₃₁₃ unless Pluto is simply arbitrarily included by fiat.

Still--I stress again that my friend's kid wasn't taught about 2003 UB₃₁₃ in school; she was taught about a mythical "Planet X" which is not the same thing.

 

[Teflon Billy]

...Still--I stress again that my friend's kid wasn't taught about 2003 UB₃₁₃ in school; she was taught about a mythical "Planet X" which is not the same thing.

Then, more than ever, I say it's time we taught them a lesson.

Vote for me, and I will increase funding to the fledgling Space Patrol.

 

[Desdichado]

Sorry--I gave my vote for Supreme Dicator of the World to barsoomcore long ago. I think he even promised me some kind of hot chick slave girl for my support. I'd look it up, but apparently my Search capability just expired in the last day or two. But if I find it, I'll give you the chance to outbid him if you like.

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

Alright, alright, settle down.

You got this third hand. This isn't what you saw being taught, this is what the parents of a 9-year old girl told you that their then 7-year old told them about what she was being taught, presumably in 2nd grade.

So I think it's a little premature to start bashing the schools over it. For all you know, this was being taught as something that might be real, rather than a known fact, and the story got changed in the telling between 3 people (one of whom is a young child) over the course of two years.

 

[Desdichado]

No, I got it second hand. I can talk to children. She's a fairly smart one too, with an interest in astronomy beyond what the school's teach her, so I can trust her to paint an accurate picture for me of what was taught.

And I believe it was third grade, if that makes any difference.

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

No, I got it second hand. I can talk to children.

OK, but in your original post, you said it was her parents that told you this.

She's a fairly smart one too, with an interest in astronomy beyond what the school's teach her, so I can trust her to paint an accurate picture for me of what was taught.

So, you got this second hand, from a 9-year old child, about something that happened when she was 7? I'll let you make your own judgment as to how well you can trust the accuracy of her report.

 

[jgbrowning]

I think we should nuke them from space: it's the only way to be sure.

joe b.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

A little sidetrack here...

I would love if they wound up naming it "Planet X"

I would run for office ona platform of declaring it an Enemy Planet.

Pleeze oh pleeze oh pleeze make me the Minister of Defense.

 

[demiurge1138]

Hey I have known about Planet X since I was a kid! The World Space Authority dispatched the P-1 interplanetary vessel to study the newly discovered Planet X back in 1965. Cold, calculating, and deadly, the inhabitants of Planet X were a duplicitous alien race located on a nearby celestial body, visually obscured be the enormous girth of Jupiter.

(Plot synopsis of Monster Zero...)

That's all in the history books. Right?

Yep. Right before the Sogell Island climate experiments, and just after the attempted assassination of the Princess of Sejelica.

I just watched that movie last night.

So... Planet X, eh? I remember believing in Planet X when I was a kid, although it was mostly Monster Zero-related wishful thinking. But teaching it in schools? Odd.

Demiurge out.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

I wonder if they were talking about Sedna or Quaoar, and just didn't have updated info with an "official" name.