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Pluto Was Reclassified

In 2006, Pluto was reclassified from a planet to a 'dwarf planet' by the International Astronomical Union due to its failure to clear its orbit of debris. A dwarf planet meets the first two criteria of a planet but not the third, placing Pluto alongside other celestial bodies like Eris and Ceres. The reclassification remains controversial, with ongoing debates about the definition of a planet and Pluto's unique characteristics.

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10 views2 pages

Pluto Was Reclassified

In 2006, Pluto was reclassified from a planet to a 'dwarf planet' by the International Astronomical Union due to its failure to clear its orbit of debris. A dwarf planet meets the first two criteria of a planet but not the third, placing Pluto alongside other celestial bodies like Eris and Ceres. The reclassification remains controversial, with ongoing debates about the definition of a planet and Pluto's unique characteristics.

Uploaded by

brenda quintero
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Pluto was reclassified from a planet to a "dwarf planet" in 2006 by the

International Astronomical Union (IAU). The decision was based on a new


definition of what qualifies as a planet.

1. The New Definition of a Planet

In 2006, the IAU established three criteria for an object to be classified as a


planet in our Solar System:

1️⃣ It must orbit the Sun. ✅ (Pluto does this!)


2️⃣ It must be nearly round in shape due to its own gravity. ✅ (Pluto is
spherical!)
3️⃣ It must have "cleared its orbit" of other debris. ❌ (Pluto failed this
one!)

Pluto orbits within a region called the Kuiper Belt, which is full of other
icy objects and debris. Unlike the eight official planets, Pluto doesn’t
dominate its orbit—instead, it shares space with many other similar-sized
objects.

Since Pluto failed the third criterion, it was downgraded to a dwarf


planet.

2. What Is a Dwarf Planet?

A dwarf planet is an object that meets the first two criteria of a planet but
has not cleared its orbit of other objects. Pluto now belongs to this
category, along with other celestial bodies like:

 Eris (which is actually larger than Pluto)

 Haumea

 Makemake

 Ceres (the largest object in the asteroid belt)

3. Controversy & Debate

Not everyone agrees with Pluto’s demotion. Some scientists argue that the
definition of a planet is too strict and that Pluto should still be
considered a planet. Others believe that if Pluto were reclassified, many
more objects in the Solar System (possibly hundreds) would also need to be
called planets.

Some planetary scientists still refer to Pluto as a planet based on its


geological activity, atmosphere, and moons.

4. Fun Facts About Pluto 🌌

 Pluto has five moons, the largest being Charon, which is nearly half
Pluto’s size.

 A year on Pluto (one full orbit around the Sun) takes 248 Earth
years!

 The surface of Pluto is covered in frozen nitrogen, methane, and


carbon monoxide.

 In 2015, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft gave us the first close-up


images of Pluto, revealing a heart-shaped glacier on its surface.

Final Thought: Is Pluto Still Special?

Even though Pluto isn't classified as a planet anymore, it remains one of


the most interesting objects in the Solar System. It has unique geology, an
active atmosphere, and continues to be a subject of scientific research.

Would you like to see Pluto regain its planetary status? 🚀💫

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