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Welcome back to “Did you ever dream of being an astronaut?”. For me, the answer is still the same: yes. Once again, my book is not about that. I chose How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown. I chose this book because I was interested in astronomy, and the title appealed to me. I’ve always known that Pluto is not a planet, but every time I asked, “Why is that?” I always got the same answer: “It’s a dwarf planet.”
Through this book, I had the opportunity to understand how Pluto ended up exiled from the Solar System. I also learned about the different discoveries that Mike Brown made during his career, with a side of very interesting private life. The drama with the Spanish team that stole their discovery of Haumea was captivating. I was going to bed thinking, “I need to know how this will end!!”
I enjoyed this book because it blends humor and the whole story. It was a lovely read, and I found it very informative. Mike Brown perfectly captioned the pressure of finding something and the competition between academics to be the first to see that little lighting point that will get them famous.
Moreover, it gave me my answer: why is Pluto not a planet? I don’t want to give too big of a spoiler, but let’s just say that Mike Brown questioned and revolutionized the “planet” definition so hard that Pluto just couldn’t be a planet anymore. This happened with a lot of controversy and angry Pluto lovers, but it had to be done. Thank you, Mike Brown. We have one less planet to learn about in the solar system; you made it easier, truly.
Hi Allessandro, thanks for your your review on the book! I read it as well so was really interested to know what others thought of it. I think we all became motivated to do something space related after this read which is a testament how well Brown wrote it, especially making it way easier to understand than I thought it was going to be. My only critique on the book was that he would delve into his personal life a bit too much at times and while I understand those were important times in his life, it didn't add too much to the overall plot in his journey of finding another planet. Overall, a great read so I'm happy we all had the same thoughts!
ReplyDeleteAle! Looks like you had a great time with this book. This is a very fascinating topic that I want to explore because like you, I would also get the same answer when I asked this question. "It’s a dwarf planet." Nice touch of sarcasm at the end!
ReplyDeleteGreat read! I remember us talking about this book before, but reading your post really put it into perspective! I learned about Pluto’s reclassification in my astronomy class, but I never knew the full story behind it. Your take on the drama and competition in academia makes me want to read the book: not just for the science but for the story behind it.
ReplyDeleteSuper interesting Alessandro! Mike Brown is incredibly important to history. I wonder what it's like to hold the responsibility to reclassify a once, beloved planet.
ReplyDeleteHey Alessandro, this was an interesting read. I also always wonder why Pluto was demoted to a dwarf planet and why it took so long to make it so.
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