Dwarf planets Memes

Ever notice how astronomers get excited about Pluto but completely ignore its dwarf planet siblings? Poor Haumea and Makemake sitting there like the middle children of our solar system. "Oh look, it's Pluto! So fascinating!" Meanwhile, Sedna's over in the corner like "I have an 11,400-year orbit and nobody even sends me a text." The workplace comparison is spot on—some colleagues get all the attention while others with equally interesting features might as well be calling HR from the void. Next time you're gushing about Pluto's heart-shaped region, maybe spare a thought for Quaoar. The little guy's trying his best with what he's got.

The bell curve of astronomical intelligence at work. The left side has the simple folk who just want Pluto to be a planet because they're nostalgic. The right side shows the galaxy brains who've transcended the IAU's rigid definitions and concluded that planetary taxonomy is just a social construct. Meanwhile, in the middle peak of the curve sits the insufferable pedant screaming about orbital debris clearance—the technical reason Pluto got demoted in 2006. The perfect representation of how experts and non-experts sometimes reach similar conclusions, while the moderately informed won't shut up about technicalities. Somewhere, Neil deGrasse Tyson is feeling personally attacked.