This is an amazing book, very thorough and very detailed in taking the reader through the evolution in our understanding of the concept of planets through the ages. Notably, Weintraub is one of 300 professional astronomers who signed a petition rejecting the IAU demotion of Pluto and its flawed "new" planet definition. Since this debate is still ongoing, astronomers and lay people would benefit tremendously from reading this book and seeing the logic of why the only planet definition that makes sense is a broad one that includes all non-self-luminous spheroidal objects, regardless of whether or not they "clear their orbits."
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This is an amazing book, very thorough and very detailed in taking the reader through the evolution in our understanding of the concept of planets through the ages. Notably, Weintraub is one of 300 professional astronomers who signed a petition rejecting the IAU demotion of Pluto and its flawed "new" planet definition. Since this debate is still ongoing, astronomers and lay people would benefit tremendously from reading this book and seeing the logic of why the only planet definition that makes sense is a broad one that includes all non-self-luminous spheroidal objects, regardless of whether or not they "clear their orbits."
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