I heard on the news that the planet PLUTO is no longer considered a plant. HOW COME ??

Question

I'm looking for an accurate scientific reason. I'm too lazy to look it up.

Answer 1

There were three rules that designate a planet Status

1. Orbit around a star - Pluto Does
2. Enough mass to pull the body into a spherical shap - Pluto Does
3. Cleared the path of it's orbit of all space matter - Pluto doesn't

It appears that Pluto doesn't quite have the mass to clear the area in which is orbits and therefore there are lots of objects that are close to the same size as pluto. This distiction makes pluto more like just another piece of space debri instead of a 'Planet'.

Hope this answers the question!

Answer 2

It's because of the new definition of a planet, which wrkey posted. Until now, there has actually not been a scientific definition of what's a planet. The International Astronomers Union (IAU) was forced to do something because of the discovery of an object larger than Pluto (2003 UB313, popularly known as Xena). Would they call this a planet or not?

The committee they set up to study this suggested that they define a planet as: 1) big enough that its gravity forms it into a sphere, and 2) independently orbiting the Sun. This definition would have made Xena a planet, and would have promoted the asteroid Ceres, Pluto's moon Charon, and possibly dozens of other objects to planet status.

Some members of the IAU were not happy with this and added the third requirement, that a planet clear its orbit of other objects (it's allowed up to 1% of its mass in asteroids and other debris). Because Pluto shares orbital space with Neptune, this new requirement disallowed Pluto, leaving us with eight planets. The decision has been controversial, with both the general public and with some astronomers, who think the orbit clearing requirement is arbitrary and ambiguous. So it's official for now, but may eventually be overturned. But there probably won't be any more changes until the next IAU General Assembly in 2009.

Answer 3

Pluto is no longer a planet but has been reclassified as a "dwarf planet." bcs:
1)Currently, not much is known about the surface of Pluto because it’s too far away and small for our Earth telescopes, Pluto is part of what is called the Kuiper Belt, a ring of celestial bodies in the vicinity of Neptune, known as trans-Neptunians.
2)It’s not massive enough. Because if Pluto’s a planet, then a whole lot of other objects should be planets, too.” There are at least 70,000 of the bodies with diameters greater than 100 km

Answer 4

How round is round is moot to Pluto. this is genuinely seen 'round sufficient'. Pluto is now not seen a planet because this is portion of the Kuiper Belt, and has not cleared or ordered its orbit. bear in mind the Kuiper Belt became unknown on the time that Pluto became got here across. this is not that scientists have determined, a lot as they have got here across new advice which stated as the unique end into question. this is fairly a lot a repeat of what befell with Ceres, which became initially stated as a planet even as it became got here across... till it became realized that its orbit became complete of different bodies. And no, there heavily is not any debate about Pluto anymore contained in the clinical international. the talk immediately stems round no matter if different countless Dwarf Planet applicants could extremely be seen Dwarf Planets. "How round is round," is proper to this actual situation, really because it relates the myriad asteroid and Kuiper belt products.

Answer 5

Although Pluto has a round shape, its size is too small and its elongated orbit crosses into Neptune's. It is now relegated to the status of a dwarf planet.

Answer 6

I think it's because its moon is close to the same size so which one is the moon; they orbit each other.

Also, its orbit takes it closer to the sun than Neptune sometimes, making it more of a comet or something.

I would give a better answer, but I'm too lazy to look it up.

Answer 7

It has to do with it's orbit. It's not like the rest of the planets. It's orbit goes around at an angle around the rest of the planets' orbits. Check out Newsweek and you'll see it in detail.

Answer 8

Pluto has never been a plant. It's a planet.

Answer 9

Because of its size its been declassified from planet to a rock or satellite in orbit.
Typically American, because its not big enough, important enough and has no value - lower its status!

Answer 10

Because of its relatively small size (a little smaller than our moon) there was much debate as to whether its a planet or a moon.