Book 1 Post 2 - Final Post

 Growing up I was always fascinated by planets and space in general so when I saw the title 'How I killed Pluto' it grabbed my eye. When I look back on my childhood I have some amazing memories, but for the most part, a lot of it is hard to recollect. However, for whatever reason, I vividly remember the time when my classmates and I found out Pluto was declared a dwarf planet. Considering I was 7 and just in second grade, I obviously was very confused by this decision and what went into it. Skip forward to now, and I have learned in this book that the International Astronomical Union (IAU) classify a planet by 3 categories. 

1. It is in the orbit of the sun

2. It has sufficient mass to assume hydrostatic equilibrium (a nearly round shape)

3. It has "cleared the neighborhood" around its orbit

The category Pluto did not pass was that it did not clear its neighborhood. In other words, it has become gravitationally dominant and has nothing of its comparable size in its vicinity in space. In the billions of years, Pluto has lived, it has never "cleared its neighborhood."

Michael E. Brown, the author of this novel, is quite fascinating and I enjoyed reading about him. Often times when I read books, I struggle to really connect with what the author is saying if it is very repetitive. Though, Brown does a great job of bringing his personal life in which allows for emotional connection. Brown's main goal as a scientist was to bring another planet into the equation, but instead, he ended up suggesting Pluto becomes a dwarf planet. 

My favorite part about this book was that not even the most prestigious scientists have a clear grip on what really goes on with our solar system and planets. I have always been a little skeptical/concerned about the unknowns of space and how even planet Earth as a whole is so minuscule relative to the entirety of the solar system. To think of how big the United States seems, not to mention our world in general, to just find out it is basically just a tiny dot in the solar system is freaky and hard to grasp. I am interested to continue seeing research develop on our planets and new discoveries in our solar system, but until then, I will continue fantasizing about the idea of life on other planets and other obscure theories.