DeKALB | More than 500 years ago, a majority of people thought the earth was flat. More than 400 years ago, a majority of people thought the sun orbited the earth. More than two weeks ago, a majority of people decided there were nine planets in the solar system.

A committee in the International Astronomical Union declared a new definition for labeling a planet last Thursday, Aug. 24. The new designation removes Pluto from the planet list.

According to the IAU, the new criteria labels a planet as a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium shape and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit.

This new guideline, however, does not change the importance of Pluto.

“This idea is just labels, and it doesn’t change what [the planets] are or what we know about them,” said physics professor Suzanne Willis. “We won’t call Pluto a planet, but we’ll still study it exactly as we do now. That hasn’t changed.”

It took some time for the debate to settle with the final number of planets at eight.

“There are three types of planets: rocky, gas giants and Pluto, with the enhanced definition of Pluto being a dwarf planet,” said physics professor David Hedin.

Both Willis and Hedin also said there are many more objects out there that haven’t been discovered.

In the future, more planet-like objects are bound to be discovered within the Kuiper Belt, which lies outside the known planets. It was within this belt that the celestial object known as UB313 was discovered. Although UB313 is larger than Pluto, it is still considered a dwarf planet.

Hedin compared the discovery of planets to the beam of a flashlight.

“Just as a further planet is difficult to detect even with a powerful telescope,” he said, “a flashlight beam, no matter how bright, is harder to detect the further away the flashlight is.”

For those studying the solar system, this new designation means a new way of memorizing their names. Instead of “My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas,” creative teachers will have to find a new tool.