"I didn't want to be a planet anyway!"

I love it when we anthropomorphize stuff that isn't anthropomorphic. I understand that we all felt sad that Pluto was no longer a planet. It makes sense--it's totally weird to grow up with the universe in one configuration and have it change abruptly.  And I get the bit of transference that happens when we feel sorry for Pluto.

Today, apparently, Pluto is getting a little cred back. Sure, it's never going to be a planet again, but at least it gets other stuff named after it. IF you're an artist formerly known as a dwarf planet and IF you're further away from our sun than Neptune, then you get to be called a "plutoid"

So far, this means that Pluto itself and one other celestial body (either Erin or Eris, there's a typo in the article and I'm ignorant as to the real name) are now plutoids. Another dwarf planet somewhat closer to the sun (Ceres) has to stay a dwarf planet.

So, it seems to me that we've got 3 things floating out there that aren't quite planets and are otherwise more or less the same except for location, but we had to give these things two classifications instead of just one. Is it me, or does this feel like needless obfuscation on the part of astronomical braniacs?

Also, if Pluto was sad it wasn't a planet, how does Ceres feel about not getting to be a plutoid? Or is it happy to remain the only dwarf planet in the solar system? What does Erin/Eris think about it? Is it sad that people don't even know how to spell it's name? Is it all sulky in the corner, thinking bitter angry thoughts about Pluto?  Is Pluto full of itself now and lording it over the other plutoid?

These are important questions, and I need answers!

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