dwarf planet
Subplanetary orbiting body
A dwarf planet is a celestial body that orbits the sun and has enough mass for gravity to pull it into a roughly spherical shape, but hasn't cleared other objects from its orbital neighborhood—distinguishing it from full planets.
Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006, along with Eris, Ceres, and others.
The discovery of Eris prompted astronomers to define what counts as a planet.
Kuiper Belt dwarf world
Kuiper Belt dwarf world
- CeresGoddess of crops and growth
- ErisGreek personification of conflict
- SednaDistant minor planet
- naming conventionsStandards for assigning labels
Distant ring of frozen objects
- trans-NeptunianBeyond the eighth planet
- scattered discDistant, inclined orbital population
- eccentricityUnconventional behavior or nature
- aphelionFarthest point from sun
perihelion · resonance · inclination · elliptical · Oort cloud
Undiscovered opportunities ahead
Globe-like in form
- differentiatedMade unlike others
- icyFrozen or unfriendly
- rockyCovered with stones
- albedoSurface reflection coefficient
diameter · mass · density · axial tilt
Mythical underworld ferryman
- binary systemNumeration with two values
- satelliteOrbiting celestial body
Pluto
Kuiper Belt dwarf world
Pluto
Kuiper Belt dwarf world
naming conventions · Roman · Greek · Hawaiian · Inuit · Polynesian · Chinese
Kuiper belt
Distant ring of frozen objects
- trans-NeptunianBeyond the eighth planet
- scattered discDistant, inclined orbital population
- eccentricityUnconventional behavior or nature
aphelion · perihelion · resonance · inclination · elliptical · Oort cloud
New Horizons
Undiscovered opportunities ahead
spherical
Globe-like in form
- differentiatedMade unlike others
- icyFrozen or unfriendly
- rockyCovered with stones
albedo · diameter · mass · density · axial tilt
Charon
Mythical underworld ferryman
- binary systemNumeration with two values
- satelliteOrbiting celestial body
dwarf planetplanet
Star-orbiting spherical body
giant planet · gas giant · Jupiter · terrestrial planet · ice giant
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