The Tide Is Turning

When longtime supporters of the IAU planet definition publicly come out rethinking their positions on this debate, we can regard their change of view as a sign that the tide is turning in favor of a more inclusive planet definition.

Tonight, I could hardly believe what I was reading when a friend and fellow Pluto supporter tweeted me the link to an article by Ethan Siegel, to whom I have previously written responses, titled, "The Science Case for Why Pluto Should Become A Planet (Again)."

Published on the site "Big Think," the article notes the significant progress in our understanding of the planetary processes on solar system bodies other than Mercury through Neptune while also taking into account the many exoplanet discoveries made since 2006.

Siegel also acknowledges that only a tiny fraction of the IAU took part in the 2006 vote and that over the past 19 years, many scientists who study planets have not used the IAU definition.

This article is well worth reading and hopefully a sign that in 2026, we can finally correct the error made in 2006.