In August 2006, the International Astronomical Union voted Pluto out of planethood. It is a wonder Pluto has any fans, yet during the mounting debate over Pluto's status, people rallied behind the extraterrestrial underdog. Pluto is entrenched in the American cultural, patriotic view of the cosmos and Neil deGrasse Tyson is on a quest to discover why. Only Tyson can tell this story: he was involved in the first exhibition to demote Pluto and consequently, Pluto lovers have freely shared their opinions with him. In his typically witty way, Tyson explores the history of planet classification and America's obsession with the planet that has recently been judged a dwarf.
The Pluto Files
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"Now, in The Pluto Files, Tyson offers a highly entertaining history of Pluto..." New Scientist "It's eminently readable and particularly enjoyable." Thebookbag.co.uk
About the Author
Award winning author Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist with the American Museum of Natural History, the director of the world-famous Hayden Planetarium, a monthly columnist for Natural History and the host of the PBS series "NOVA Science NOW". Also available: Death by Black Hole (ISBN 978 0 393 33016 8) and Origins (ISBN 978 0 393 32758 8).
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Richard Murphy
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover
There are definitely two sides to this book.
Neil Degrasse Tyson takes the scientific debate about Pluto's planetary status seriously and there is lots of real astronomy in this book. However, he is also an entertaining writer and catches the emotional attachment to Pluto as a planet that made its downgrading such a big deal, especially for children. He succeeds in bring the serious and fun elements together.
This book is an informative and accessible history of Pluto and of the changes in our knowledge of the solar system that have lead to a revisiting of our understanding of our little corner of the galaxy. There is enough of the detail to appreciate the real science, and to see the personalities involved in the debate about how to describe the findings to a wider audience.
He wants us to appreciate Pluto and its surroundings for what they are, and not just to learn a list of planets.
The emotional side of the debate makes the book stand out. This is a very human issue, and, through his role in the New York's American Museum of Natural History he became identified as the man who killed Pluto. The discoverer of Pluto had always defend his historic planet-finding moment. Thousands of school-children wrote in to protest at the potential downgrading of Pluto to dwarf planet. Their letters are scattered throughout the book and are great fun. Newspaper cartoonists had a great time with the topic too, and a great selection is included.
Over this book is a treasure-trove of good science and fun things, and well worth a read.
Neil Degrasse Tyson takes the scientific debate about Pluto's planetary status seriously and there is lots of real astronomy in this book. However, he is also an entertaining writer and catches the emotional attachment to Pluto as a planet that made its downgrading such a big deal, especially for children. He succeeds in bring the serious and fun elements together.
This book is an informative and accessible history of Pluto and of the changes in our knowledge of the solar system that have lead to a revisiting of our understanding of our little corner of the galaxy. There is enough of the detail to appreciate the real science, and to see the personalities involved in the debate about how to describe the findings to a wider audience.
He wants us to appreciate Pluto and its surroundings for what they are, and not just to learn a list of planets.
The emotional side of the debate makes the book stand out. This is a very human issue, and, through his role in the New York's American Museum of Natural History he became identified as the man who killed Pluto. The discoverer of Pluto had always defend his historic planet-finding moment. Thousands of school-children wrote in to protest at the potential downgrading of Pluto to dwarf planet. Their letters are scattered throughout the book and are great fun. Newspaper cartoonists had a great time with the topic too, and a great selection is included.
Over this book is a treasure-trove of good science and fun things, and well worth a read.
By Teresa
Format:Paperback
the book is wonderful! it describes all the process of decision and has beautiful pictures and explaining drawings with excelent printing paper!
1 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Okay, but a bit slight for a hardback. Also I bought it under a misapprehension - he claims to have led/been a leader of the campaign to get Pluto demoted, and it really a history of the academic political ins-and-outs of the process rather than a short history as it were, of Pluto. Also I regret Pluto going, all those wallcharts obsolete, I'm morally a bit uncomfortable with rewarding one of its nemeses. My fault not his!
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