Skyscript Astrology Forum

I know I am being particular but then I probably live on a different planet than everyone else - so some of my claims can seem quite unreasonable.

At my childrens infant school (age 6-12yrs) they have divided one department into 3 bases calling them Mars, Jupiter and Pluto. My initial response is "What a great idea!!" but then I think "This is supposed to be a school... " and then "...What the hell do they think they are talking about?"

Oh dear, here I go again...

While Mars, Jupiter and Pluto seem like funny names for different bases or groups within the school, what does it mean when the school applies these names and what are they trying to teach the pupils. Well, the children are only young - so probably any concern I could come up with doesn't really count. The kids learn a little bit about astronomy and a little bit about the universe. Any child between the age of 6 and 8 years visiting Pluto is hardly going to worry about the fact that this planet has a highly eccentric orbit. Scientists don't really want to call it a planet any more. If you look at the mythology he rules the 'Underworld' and 'Death', and when the deity came to surface and spotted his Persephone - he actually commited rape.

In the back of my mind I was wondering whether the names Mars, Jupiter and Saturn would have made more sense - as this actually represented the trio of superior planets beyond the Earth - and at least the children had a chance of seeing them. Or maybe I could suggest using the names Sun, Jupiter and Pluto, which make the ancient deity of Serapis - the power that according to Plutarch disposed the universe into its present beautiful order.

My mind is still winding as I find the courage to ask a teacher regarding the choice of planetary names; "Mars, Jupiter, Pluto - you realize that this means something"? The teacher looks at me rather haughtly and replies "Aw, who would have thought of that?" and then brushes me to one side. "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday" I retort, but then I decide that this is the time to take on my invisible cloak and return to the suburbs of the underworld...

Ignorant world....

Andrew J. Bevan wrote:Ignorant world....

Yes indeed... Mars, Jupiter and Saturn would have been much better.

I'd watch the Mars and Pluto children for the next 15-20 years.

However the Jupiter children will be jolly and fat.

Of course I'm acting paranoid - but my fear of putting three planets together in an inappropriate combination (at a time when the pedagogics claim to have the upper hand) could be compare to asking the children to copy and draw something in chinese without actually understanding what the text read.

Somewhere inside I was probably hoping that some official within the scholar system would announce, "We chose Pluto because it is the outermost planet in the Solar system." Then at least half my worries would have been put at ease and with the school behind me I could safely claim that "Pluto is in fact a planet." But then I would have to add -"You do realize that a body called Eris (Xena) was discovered on Jan.5 2005, which is larger than Pluto and has an orbit that takes it twice the distance further away from the Sun?"

The official response wasn't even close to my lowest hopes: "Next year we will call the bases for Pluto, Donald and Mickey Mouse"! Is that an appropriate answer? Would it be appropriate to call three bases at a school for Charles, Diana and Camilla?

Naw, it doesn't really matter. Of course it doesn't mean anything. It's just "Planets for fun!"