Pluto's Secret by Margaret Weitekamp

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum maintains

U.S. $16.95 | Can. $18.95 | U.K. £9.99

Weitekamp/DeVorkin/Kidd

the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world. It is also a vital center for research into the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics.

Margaret A. Weitekamp, PhD, curates the museum’s Social and Cultural Dimensions of Spaceflight collection. She lives in Burke, Virginia.

David DeVorkin, PhD, is senior

What exactly is Pluto?

What secrets does it possess?

curator, History of Astronomy and the Space Sciences at the museum. He lives in Kensington, Maryland.

’s d l r o W An Icy ery v o c s i ale of D

Diane Kidd is an award-winning

T

illustrator of children’s books and is early childhood manager at the museum. She lives in Takoma Park, Maryland.

Illustrations copyright © 2013 Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

People have been baffled, bewildered, and even outraged by the fact that Pluto is no longer called a planet. Who made this decision and why? If not a planet, then what is Pluto? Through whimsical artwork and an entertaining story, Pluto’s Secret introduces readers to this ever-popular icy world, from its discovery and naming to its recent reclassification.

Published in association with the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Pluto’s Secret presents a fascinating look at how scientists organize and classify our solar system.

As they learn more about how it works and what types of things exist within it, scientists are constantly having to rethink how we see and understand things.

z abrams books for young readers an imprint of abrams

U.S. $16.95 Can. $18.95 U.K. £9.99 ISBN 978-1-4197-0423-9

51695

Abrams

115 West 18th Street New York, NY 10011 www.abramsyoungreaders.com

z

By Margaret A. Weitekamp with David DeVorkin Illustrated by Diane Kidd

9 781419 704239

PRINTED IN CHINA

PlutosSecret_JKT.indd 1

REINFORCED BINDING

9/13/12 2:24 PM

d’s l r o W y An Ic ery v o c s i D Tale of

By Margaret A. Weitekamp with David DeVorkin Illustrated by Diane Kidd Published in association with the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Abrams Books For Young Readers, New York

to Plu

Jupiter

Sun

Mercury

Venus

Earth

Mars

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

F

or as long as the solar system has been the solar system, and Earth has been Earth . . .

2

3

Sun . . . there has been a little icy world circling the sun, farther away than any of the planets.

This icy world had a secret—a clue about something that exists in the solar system and the universe.

But for a long time, no one on Earth could see this icy world. It was too far away and not bright enough to be seen in the sky. And so no one learned its secret.

4

5

P5

The icy world didn’t mind.

It was busy dancing with its moons.

P4

Nix

Cha-cha

Cha-cha-cha

6

o t u l P

Charon ra

d Hy

7

The art for this book was created using Windsor Newton watercolors, pen and ink, and colored pencils on Arches watercolor paper.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for and may be obtained from the Library of Congress.

ISBN: 978-1-4197-0423-9 Text and illustration copyright © 2013 National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution Photograph of Venetia Burney is courtesy of Patrick Phair.

All other photographs courtesy of Lowell Observatory Archives.

Book design by Robyn Ng Published in 2013 by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

Printed and bound in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Abrams Books for Young Readers are available at special discounts when purchased in quantity for premiums and promotions as well as fundraising or educational use. Special editions can also be created to specification. For details, contact specialsales@abramsbooks.com or the address below.

115 West 18th Street New York, NY 10011 www.abramsbooks.com

For Xavier, whose love of stories inspired this book, and Kati and Quincy, who light up my world. —M.W. To Percival, Clyde, and Zenobia. —D.D. For my family, friends, NASM ED staff, Exhibits, Howard R., Ga-Ga, and intern Richard B. for all your support and for sharing my orbit. —D.K.

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum maintains

U.S. $16.95 | Can. $18.95 | U.K. £9.99

Weitekamp/DeVorkin/Kidd

the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world. It is also a vital center for research into the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics.

Margaret A. Weitekamp, PhD, curates the museum’s Social and Cultural Dimensions of Spaceflight collection. She lives in Burke, Virginia.

David DeVorkin, PhD, is senior

What exactly is Pluto?

What secrets does it possess?

curator, History of Astronomy and the Space Sciences at the museum. He lives in Kensington, Maryland.

’s d l r o W An Icy ery v o c s i ale of D

Diane Kidd is an award-winning

T

illustrator of children’s books and is early childhood manager at the museum. She lives in Takoma Park, Maryland.

Illustrations copyright © 2013 Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

People have been baffled, bewildered, and even outraged by the fact that Pluto is no longer called a planet. Who made this decision and why? If not a planet, then what is Pluto? Through whimsical artwork and an entertaining story, Pluto’s Secret introduces readers to this ever-popular icy world, from its discovery and naming to its recent reclassification.

Published in association with the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Pluto’s Secret presents a fascinating look at how scientists organize and classify our solar system.

As they learn more about how it works and what types of things exist within it, scientists are constantly having to rethink how we see and understand things.

z abrams books for young readers an imprint of abrams

U.S. $16.95 Can. $18.95 U.K. £9.99 ISBN 978-1-4197-0423-9

51695

Abrams

115 West 18th Street New York, NY 10011 www.abramsyoungreaders.com

z

By Margaret A. Weitekamp with David DeVorkin Illustrated by Diane Kidd

9 781419 704239

PRINTED IN CHINA

PlutosSecret_JKT.indd 1

REINFORCED BINDING

9/13/12 2:24 PM