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Arizona representative Justin Wilmeth introduced legislation to make the dwarf planet Pluto the “official state planet” of Arizona. Wilmeth stated that he was inspired by a visit to Flagstaff’s Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was discovered, and sees the legislation as a nod to the role Arizona plays in astronomy. The bill now needs to gain majority approval in the state’s House and Senate and be signed by Governor Katie Hobbs to be officially enacted.
Representative Justin Wilmeth Proposes to Name Pluto as Arizona’s Official Planet
Despite the International Astronomical Union’s ruling that Pluto is a “dwarf planet”, Phoenix Republican Rep. Justin Wilmeth is championing for Pluto to be recognized as Arizona’s official state planet. This comes as part of an ongoing effort to acknowledge the state’s contributions to astronomy, including its rich history and active observatories.
Wilmeth’s legislation, if approved, would add Pluto to Arizona’s growing list of official state elements. Currently, the list includes the cactus wren as the state bird, turquoise as the state gemstone, lemonade as the state drink, and the Colt single-action Army revolver as the state firearm, among others.
Wilmeth was inspired to introduce this legislation after touring the expansion project at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. The observatory is renowned for being the site where Pluto was discovered and is the only one where a planet was discovered in the United States. “I think that’s worthy of historical note,” Wilmeth said, emphasizing Arizona’s important role in the field of astronomy.
Despite the controversy surrounding Pluto’s planetary status, Wilmeth believes that it’s irrelevant. “I was raised from the generation we had nine planets,” he said. “For me, it’s a planet.” The recognition of Pluto as a planet, according to him, would also honor the significant achievement of Arizona astronomers who discovered the celestial body.
The process of designating official state items has historically been a mixed bag in Arizona. For instance, copper was named the official state metal in 2015 after a school project, while the designation of the official state dinosaur faced considerable opposition. Similarly, the decision to declare the Colt single-action Army revolver the official state firearm in 2011 was politically controversial.
While these discussions often stir debate, they can also generate light-hearted conversations. For example, a 2019 proposal by a Gilbert teen led to lemonade being officially recognized as the state drink. The conversation then turned to what could best represent Arizona’s citrus industry, with suggestions for drinks like margaritas and sun tea.
Arizona’s Official State Items
Here are some of Arizona’s current official state items:
Colors – Blue and old gold
Fossil – Petrified wood (araucarioxylon arizonicum)
Bird – Coues’ cactus wren (heleodytes brunneicapillus coures)
Flower – The white waxy flower of the saguaro (cereus giganteus)
Tree – Palo verde (genera cercidium)
Neckwear – Bola tie
Gemstone – Turquoise
Mammal – Ringtail (bassariscus astutus)
Reptile – Ridge-nosed rattlesnake (crotalus willardi)
Fish – Arizona trout (salmo apache)
Amphibian – Arizona tree frog (hyla eximia)
Butterfly – Two-tailed swallowtail (papilionidae papilio multicaudata)
Nickname – The Grand Canyon state
Firearm – Colt single action Army revolver
Metal – Copper
State mineral – Wulfenite
Dinosaur – Sonorasaurus
Drink — Lemonade
Source: Arizona Revised Statutes
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