Pluto Demoted Day

Astronomers and astronauts are obsessed with accuracy. (We’re not hating. So are Smarty® pantses.)

And for good reason, too. If you're sending a rocket to some point in space when you're moving, your target is moving, and the rocket is going to be affected by gravity and solar dust, the math and accuracy could be the difference between millions of dollars wasted and, quite literally, life or death.

For accuracy reasons, Pluto was reclassified from planet to dwarf planet. And that's OK. Sometimes, reclassification and reassessment are needed if we really care about accuracy and precision. This same precision is crucial in fields like address validation and hyper-accurate geocoding, ensuring we meet specific criteria and standards.

The history of Pluto

Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930, initially classifying it as the ninth planet in our solar system. For decades, Pluto held its place in the planetary lineup. I know I was taught that there were nine planets, and I'll have to endure my children telling me I'm wrong about that for the rest of my life. However, new data should impact how we work and understand our world.

The criteria for planethood

In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) set three criteria for a celestial body to be considered a planet:

1. It must orbit the sun.
2. It must be spherical due to its own gravity.
3. It must have cleared its orbit of other debris.

Your criteria for mailable addresses may be similar. Our expectations of what an address is, where it is, and what it’s called are fairly set in stone. But addresses, unlike Pluto, change even if our definitions do not.

I think it's important to recognize that we still love Pluto, even if it doesn't meet our newest classifications for a planet. And places—even if their addresses change—are still places that are important.

Why Pluto didn't make the cut

Pluto meets the first two criteria but fails the third since it shares its orbit with objects in the Kuiper Belt. Consequently, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet, a category introduced to accommodate bodies that don’t clear their orbits.

So hey, at least it got its own category!

Why we celebrate today

On August 24, 2006, the IAU officially reclassified Pluto. This decision was met with mixed reactions from the scientific community and the public. Some felt nostalgia for Pluto's planetary status, while others welcomed the new definition's clarity.

Likewise, your database may not play well with changes in addresses. If you don't have a persistent unique identifier (PUI) you're likely to have mixed and difficult reactions in the event that you need to update your database. You'll end up with duplicates, returned mail, or false positives.

Pluto’s new status

Despite its reclassification, Pluto remains significant as a key object in our solar system, albeit in the Kuiper Belt. Ongoing research continues to uncover fascinating details about this distant world, helping us understand more and more about our solar system.

Similarly, if you were to simply delete every questionable address from your database, you'd still run the risk of it sneaking back into your database. Classifying addresses as mailable, non-postal, or redistricted is important for accuracy.

The importance of accuracy in science and technology

Scientists require precise criteria for classifying planets, and so do businesses and services that rely on accurate address validation and hyper-accurate geocoding.

Proper address validation ensures that mail and packages reach their intended destinations, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction. Hyper-accurate geocoding allows for precise mapping and navigation, which is critical for logistics, emergency services, and location-based technologies.

Reflecting on change

Science is an ever-evolving field, constantly adapting as new information becomes available. Celebrating the reclassification of Pluto is a reminder of the importance of revisiting our databases to ensure they're accurate. We should have precision in all aspects of knowledge and technology.

Just as the IAU's decision brought clarity to planetary classification, accurate address validation and geocoding bring clarity and efficiency to our everyday lives.

Happy dwarf-planet Pluto day

Pluto's reclassification from planet to dwarf planet underscores the value of precision and adaptability. May we also appreciate the importance of accuracy in technology and celebrate our commitment to continuous improvement. Share your thoughts on Pluto's reclassification and the impact of precision in your field and let us know what you think.