A 2030 Commemorative for Pluto?

The_Dinosaur_Man

As far as I'm aware, there is no active legislation for this, though I personally want there to be.

Pluto was discovered on February 18th, 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona. It was the first major celestial object discovered by an American.

Since a number of American coins have had space themes, where do you stand on having a coin or coins honoring Pluto?

Picture downloaded from elsewhere.

MsMorrisine

not sure if it it follows the commemorative plan in the us code. it would be interesting tho

JBK

It's a little complicated....

In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) formally redefined the term planet to exclude dwarf planets such as Pluto. Many planetary astronomers, however, continue to consider Pluto and other dwarf planets to be planets.

Morgan White

TomB

I understand that it was "voted off the island" as far as being a planet, but I think it would make a fine commemorative coin.

anablep

I’m a science teacher and even I’m uninspired by Pluto being commemorated, dwarf planet or otherwise…

ambro51

It’s been done

Sapyx

Given the rather acrimonious division between the pro-planeters and anti-planeters on this subject, I think any hypothetical commemorative coin would have to tread very carefully around what Pluto is called, lest they alienate half their target market.

It would have to be simple, stick-to-the-facts: "100th anniversary discovery of Pluto", or some such, without naming it as either "planet" or "dwarf planet" on the coin or in the marketing blurbs. For extra patriotism they could also add a picture of the New Horizons space probe to Pluto, as that also was a 100% American invention.

ambro51

Looking for Pluto

Cranium_Basher73

Pluto is randomly mentioned if you kill one of the many psychos in the game Borderlands 2. Towards the end of the clip.
https://youtu.be/-di90OTHW44?si=Woru6U8p_nbLd6HW

WCC

Might as well, the US Mint ran out of prominent themes to use years ago.

cinque1543

@Sapyx said:
Given the rather acrimonious division between the pro-planeters and anti-planeters on this subject, I think any hypothetical commemorative coin would have to tread very carefully around what Pluto is called, lest they alienate half their target market.

It would have to be simple, stick-to-the-facts: "100th anniversary discovery of Pluto", or some such, without naming it as either "planet" or "dwarf planet" on the coin or in the marketing blurbs. For extra patriotism they could also add a picture of the New Horizons space probe to Pluto, as that also was a 100% American invention.

Just FYI. It was the International Astronomical Union that in 2006 demoted Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet. The scientific organizations that actually study planets (eg, the AAS Division for Planetary Sciences, The Planetary Society) have not adopted the IAU definition.

Creg

1930 is the year Pluto the bloodhound appeared in a Disney cartoon.

pruebas

@WCC said:
Might as well, the US Mint ran out of prominent themes to use years ago.

Well, if they could figure out a way to tie it to the military, it would be a shoe-in for commemoration.

ambro51

I’ve seen Pluto. With my 6” Refractor at home, Uranus is a small greenish blue disc at 200X. Neptune is an even smaller disc and is a deep blue, very much a disc and not “starlike”. Pluto had to wait until I had a look through a 24” mobile reflector telescope set up at a club star patty. In a dark field at 400X along with a somewhat brighter star, was Pluto. It was fairly uninteresting, just a small yellowish starlike point of light. . anyway, checked That box!