The gap between astronomy and astrology can be measured by the fact that while the underworld flourishes — presumably with the blessing of the planets — Pluto, the planet named after the Greek god of the underworld, has been dismissed from the pantheon of planets. One immediate effect of this dismissal is a shrinking of the solar system. The leading astronomers collectively decided that Pluto did not deserve to be included among the planets. Pluto will now be known as a “dwarf planet”. The 2,500 scientists at the International Astronomical Union, who deliberated on the matter at Prague, sought to correct what many of them consider to be a major error committed 76 years ago. In 1930, when astronomers at the Lowell Observatory announced the discovery of Pluto, it was claimed that the new celestial body could be considered another planet since it was thought to be several times larger than Earth. In reality, Pluto turned out to be smaller than the moon. Pluto’s claim to be considered as a planet came under doubt with the discovery last year of another celestial body larger than Pluto. This new object measured, according to the Hubble space telescope, at 1,490 miles diameter, about 70 miles more than Pluto. Astronomers were thus faced with the choice of either adding to the solar system by including the new body (2003 UB313, as it is called by astronomers) among the planets or reducing the size of the solar system by removing Pluto from the list of planets. They chose to do the latter. But the dismissal of Pluto is rather half-cocked since it is not clear what is exactly meant by “dwarf planet”.

The astronomers have provided a definition by size of a planet. By this definition, a planet is a body that orbits the sun and is so large that its own gravity makes it roughly spherical. A planet’s size should also enable it to dominate its own region in the solar system. Pluto fails both criteria since it is small and is unable to clear smaller bodies near it. But within the eight planets, there is a considerable variation in size, say, between Mercury and Jupiter. Thus, the term “dwarf planet” is meaningless. Pluto is either a planet or it is not. Astronomers seem to agree that it is not, but seem a tad coy about an outright expulsion. So Pluto has been given what in the jargon of the Indian school system can be called a transfer certificate.

Pluto’s fate in no way affects the calculations of astrologers since they never took the planet’s influence into account when drawing up horoscopes and making predictions. Pluto was presumably too far away to determine the lives of obscure creatures inhabiting the surface of the third planet. Even Indian astrologers, who take cognizance of non-existent bodies like Rahu and Ketu, disregard Pluto. Ignored by astrologers, and at the far end of the solar system, Pluto travelled on the left luggage van of astronomy. It has now lost its label. It has no claimants. It can be left now in the lost luggage section of the station called the solar system in the Milky Way line.