Leading astronomers declared Thursday that Pluto is no longer a planet under historic new guidelines that downsize the solar system from nine planets to eight.

要天文學家周四宣布，在發布歷史性的新方針後，太陽系九大行星縮減為八大行星，冥王星已不再是行星。

After a tumultuous week of clashing over the essence of the cosmos, the International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of the planetary status it has held since its discovery in 1930.

經過一周對宇宙本質混亂的衝突後，國際天文聯合會剝除冥王星自一九三０年發現以來的行星地位。

Pluto, beloved by some as a cosmic underdog but scorned by astronomers who considered it too dinky and distant, was unceremonimously stripped of its status as a planet.

有些人認為冥王星是宇宙弱勢者而支持它，但天文學家認為它太小又太遠，而毫不客氣的去除它的行星地位。

In the new solar system, there are eight planets, at least three dwarf planets and tens of thousands of so-called "smaller solar system bodies," like comets and asteroids.

在新的太陽系中，總共有八大行星，至少三個矮行星和數以萬計的所謂「太陽系小天體」，像彗星及小行星。

For now, the dwarf planets include Pluto, Ceres,  and an object known as UB 313, nicknamed Xena, that is larger than Pluto. But planetary scientists say, the number of the dwarf planets could quickly swell.

目前矮行星有冥王星、穀神星和比冥王星略大的天體UB 313（齊娜星）。但行星專家說，矮行星的數量可能很快暴增。

The vote by astronomers on a sweeping reclassification of the solar system was described as a triumph of science over sentiment.

天文學家一面倒投票支持重新將太陽系分類，被指為科學戰勝感性。

Across the universe, the news that Pluto was no longer considered a full planet was

《媒體怎麼說》
美聯社／Dinky Pluto Loses Its Status as Planet （小小冥王星  喪失行星地位）
紐約時報／Pluto Is Demoted to "Dwarf Planet" （冥王星降級  淪為「矮行星」）
紐約時報／Pluto got its walking papers. （冥王星拿到退職令。）
華盛頓郵報／For Pluto, a Smaller World After All（冥王星  到底是個小世界）

Planet 行星
solar system 太陽系
Earth 地球
Jupiter 木星
Mercury 水星
Venus 金星
Mars 火星
Saturn 土星
Uranus 天王星
Neptune 海王星
dwarf planet 矮行星