NOVA | The Pluto Files with Neil deGrasse Tyson: What does Pluto's demotion mean to Americans?

Dear Mr. Tyson, I think Pluto is a planet. Why do you think Pluto is no longer a planet? I do not like your anser!!! Pluto is my faveret planet!!! You are going to have to take all of the books away and change them. Pluto IS a planet!!!!! Your friend, Emerson York
To see more hate mail from third graders visit our website: www.pbs.org/nova/pluto/
Watch "The Pluto Files" Tuesday, March 2nd on PBS at 8PM ET/PT (please check local listings).

So then, what is Pluto? Is it a planet? Is it just an ice ball? The debate continues

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[8osiris]

Whats funny is that we determine the concept of a planet based on size instead of elemental and gasous content. Boy are we smart.

[TRTomRhoads]

I love the sense of humor these people have. It speaks volumes for my favorite scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

[SirMildredPierce]

You still haven't explained how any of that has to do with what else she says... are stars known for not being invited to parties? seems the opposite to me, stars are always invited to parties.. do stars ever have bad hair days? Explain how one star is a constellation and how it has to do with everything else she said. Explain how consolation doesn't work in that context.

Also, why, if she flubbed her line, would they not only leave it in, but also feature it in an advertisement?

[JixMa]

@SirMildredPierce Wow! You're thick! She *MEANT* CONSTELLATION! She was *trying * to saying "I think you don't understand, Neil, that um, Pluto was not a planet. It was a *CONSTELLATION* in the vast & lonely universe." In other words, Pluto was not a mere planet but a "star", a celebrity, something great, hence, a constellation! She was puffing it up as when we call great actors STARS. If she meant CONSOLATION, that would mean the opposite calling Pluto a disappointment. Get it? If not, too bad.

[SenJunkieEinstein]

wait how would constellaton work there? pluto is a planet, constellations are made of stars. i can see how consolation would work there. pluto is tiny and eccentric like someone who isnt invited to parties or who has bad hair. like she says pluto is us. having pluto named a planet even if it didnt really deserve the status of planet is a consolation to us weirdos who arent normally excepted by everyone else. ya i get what shes saying to bad you dont get it

[SirMildredPierce]

Of course it's concoluted, she's being coy for the sake of comedy, this is a COMEDY piece, not a serious documentary. As opposed to your complete lack of logic? You have yet to explain how "Constellation" would make sense in the context of what else she said. 'Oh well pluto is in space, so are constellations, that musta been what she meant to say.' Want something easier? Explain to me how "consolation" *doesn't* make sense in the context of what else she said.

[JixMa]

@SirMildredPierce I mistyped. I should've typed that Sawyer said "conSELLation" (dropping the "T") instead of correctly saying "conSTELLation". There's no f***ing CONSOLATION involved here, Mildred. Okay? Sawyer obviously meant to say CONSTELLATION & she flubbed her line. I busted her for it & called her a dumbbell. U got it now? Or are you still going to beat this dead horse, Mildred? Hmm? Your convoluted logic about her being poetic & consolation in a vast, lonely universe was quite funny tho.

[TheMACcar]

I thought doing IT ment Reading peoples thoughts that they aquire in the frontal part of the brain and people who do that thing keep secrets in the back part of the brain where secrets are harder to receive.

[SirMildredPierce]

"She starts saying that Pluto is not a PLANET but rather it was something MORE, something BIGGER and then proceeds to decree it as that something more and bigger than a planet..."

You need to listen to it again, she never said it was something MORE or BIGGER or anything like that.. she said it was a consolation in the vast and LONELY universe. She's using Pluto as a metaphor, hence all the other lonely loser sorta stuff like bad hair days and NOT GETTING INVITED TO THE PARTY.

[SirMildredPierce]

"...of not getting invited to the party.." What does ANY OF THAT have to do with Constellations? If you aren't invited to the party, if you are having a bad hair day, you would like to be CONSOLED. Look it up.. Either look it up, or explain to me what any of that stuff has to do with CONSTELLATIONS? Or maybe she's such a big idiot that she used the wrong word AND she's just randomly throwing phrases together that don't have anything to do with anything else...