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Pluto
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Suddenly on August 24 2006 after a long and brave struggle and
surrounded by it's three moons Pluto the planet passed away.
Like all of us Pluto was born with a big bang. He wandered
aimlessly in his youth but as he matured and cooled down he
settled into a predictable routine. In 1930 American astronomer
Clyde Tombaugh found him. For the first time Pluto felt part of
a family. Though self-conscious of his small size Pluto
compensated by being fast and could get up to speeds of six
kilometers per second. He always tried to put on weight but
never had the gravitational strength to acquire mass. Ever the
non-conformist Pluto shunned the plane of the ecliptic. He loved
charting his own course and refused to be constrained by
circular orbits or conventional orbital planes. Some called his
orbit exocentric, but Pluto was just being Pluto. Pluto was
especially proud of his membership in the solar systems most
elite club. While not the giant Jupiter was or the life of the
party like Earth. Pluto loved the sense of belonging and twice
each orbit would get as close to his fellow planets as he
possibly could. Some may remember Pluto as cold and remote but
those that knew him better remember Pluto fondly as a joker. He
loved making other planets laugh with his frequent atmospheric
emissions of methane. Pluto loved to travel. Recent trips across
Neptune's orbit may have contributed to his unexpected ill
health. After much debate the decision was made to pull the
plug. Pluto was closet to his long time orbital partner Cara
with whom he loved to dance. But he'll be missed by other
friends as close as Neptune and as far away as Mercury. We know
he has a special place in the heavens. In lieu of flowers
donations can be made to the Society for the Advancement of
Dwarf Planets. And not those bastards at the International
Astronomers Union. (from the CBC and local sources) |
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