Pluto's not a planet? That may be the verdict for now - but
scientists, teachers and the general public will be digesting
the International Astronomical Union's definition of planethood
for years. Astronomers were quick to raise objections, and the
debate over the worlds on the solar system's edge is sure to be
revisited. So for now, think of plucky little Pluto's
predicament as a classic "teachable moment." That's how Carl
Benoit, editorial director for Illinois-based Learning
Resources, sees it. A week ago, the folks at Learning Resources
were worrying about how they would rework their teaching aids -
including solar system floormats, solar system stamps, their
Planet Quest game and inflatable planet sets - to cope with a
12-planet solar system. Now they're wondering what to do about
Pluto. Benoit said the company would review their product line
toward the end of the year and decide what needs to be done.
"What I'll recommend is that we'll obviously do the eight
planets, and probably do something to label t