Wasn’t science supposed to be back? Apparently not down in Springfield. The General Assembly has declared this Friday “Pluto Day” in honor of the date of its discovery in 1930 by a downstater named Clyde Tombaugh. But the resolution, which deigns to re-establish Pluto to full planetary status as it passes overhead, is getting laughs akin to those previously accorded to our recent governor and his galaxy of hair.
Bad Astronomy, a Discover magazine blog, calls the resolution an example of “misplaced local pride” and “brazenly dumb” – especially the part that says “WHEREAS, Dr. Tombaugh is so far the only Illinoisan and only American to ever discover a planet; and . . . “
Says BA’s Phil Pliatt: “Uh, Illinois legislators. Psssst! Americans have discovered hundreds of planets.”
Sure, the Illinois General Assembly is presumably only having a little fun when it declares, “RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that as Pluto passes overhead through Illinois’ night skies, that it be reestablished with full planetary status, and that March 13, 2009 be declared ‘Pluto Day’ in the State of Illinois in honor of the date its discovery was announced in 1930.”
But Pliatt – whose post logged 189 comments - gets the best of them when he concludes: “That’s OK though, Illinois congresscritters. I’m sure there’s nothing else for you to do with all your spare time. But y’know, I hear those pesky Hoosiers next door want to make pi equal to 3! Hurry! You can still beat them to it!”
The Pluto news is now bouncing around the blogosphere, including a post on CNET News called “Pluto Is A Planet Again! (In Illinois)” – on its Technically Incorrect blog. CNET’s Chris Matyszczyk also bristles at the Tombaugh claim and suggests that “perhaps former Gov. Rod Blagojevich penned that minor but irrelevant inaccuracy. The main thing is that Illinois is yet again standing up for what is good and right and forward-thinking.”
Actually, the sponsor of the resolution was state Sen. Gary Dahl (R-Granville).
