February 18

Pluto Discovered

In 1930, a small object was noted on several slides by scientist Clyde Tombaugh. After careful observation it was determined that this object was indeed a separate orbit from the planet Neptune. Therefore, it was labeled as a planet.

After much urging it was decided that the planet must be named. Names poured in from around the world, and Pluto was picked after being suggested by an 11-year-old girl from England named Venetia Burney.

In 2006 a definition of a planet was finally published by the International Astronomical Union. Officially, Pluto did not match this description based on many factors and is not considered at planet any longer. It's inclusion as a planet is still in debate among several scientists.

A Way To Celebrate

It is considerable to note that this celestial object was named by an 11-year-old. Far from scientific America, she was enamoured with Greek and Roman mythology. She mentioned the name of the dark god of the underworld, because she felt it matched the planet that was so cold and barren, to her grandfather. He passed the information on to a friend of his, and it eventually crossed the ocean and made it to the panel of scientists debating the name of the new object.

Reader, what have you done lately that came back to surprise you? Have you ever done something small and had someone's gratitude for it be much more than you thought?

Today, let us all do small acts of kindness. Perhaps they will grow, like Venetia's idea for a name, and take on a Path of their own.