Pluto could soon become official Arizona state planet - 12news.com KPNX

PHOENIX — A piece of legislation that would designate Pluto as the state planet of Arizona is advancing through the Legislature. 

House Bill 2477 would simply pick the dwarf planet to represent Arizona similar to how the cactus wren is the state bird or the ridge-nosed rattlesnake is the state reptile.

On Wednesday, the bill passed through the House Government Committee in an 8-1 vote. The legislation would still need to go before a floor vote, a Senate vote, and obtain the governor's signature.

State Rep. Justin Wilmeth, R-District 2, is sponsoring the legislation and said it's intended to honor Arizona's contributions to the field of astronomy. 

“This is not just about designating a state symbol; it’s about recognizing Arizona’s pivotal role in advancing astronomical knowledge,” Wilmeth said in a statement.

RELATED: Lowell Observatory celebrates 90th anniversary of Pluto discovery

In 1930, astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered an object he named Pluto while working at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. Historians have compared Tombaugh's discovery to finding "a needle in the haystack."

For decades, the small icy Pluto was considered the ninth planet in the solar system. But the International Astronomic Union voted in 2006 to classify Pluto and other newly-discovered objects orbiting the sun as "dwarf planets."

Here are Arizona's other official state symbols:

• Flower: Blossom of the Saguaro Cactus
• Gemstone: Turquoise
• Neckwear: Bola tie
• Tree: Palo Verde
• Fossil: Petrified wood
• Mammal: Ringtail
• Colors: Blue and gold
• Fish: Apache trout
• Butterfly: Two-tailed swallowtail

RELATED: Wild West: Famous Arizona sheriff's grave marker uncovered 125 years after death

RELATED: 'It's a really special moment': Arizona is first U.S. state to have had five female governors

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2024-01-31 22:24:00Z
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