2006-09-08 08:05:49 · 10 answers · asked by Marguerite B 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
Because, thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope, we now see that there are a lot of "Plutos" out there in the Kuiper Belt. Astronomers have refined the "line" for where planets end in our Solar System. Pluto is part of a huge sea of rocks and dwarf planets billions of miles away, stuff left over from when our Solar System formed about 4.5 billion years ago.
This is just one reason. There are others, and there is a LOT of information on the Internet about this.
2006-09-08 08:17:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It has an unusual, elliptical, off-plane orbit.
If you'll notice, you may have heard *before* that sometimes Pluto is the farthest rock from the sun, but other times Neptune is, that it becuase Pluto's orbit is so irregular.
And yes, there are 2 other rocks out there very similar to Pluto, so instead of running down the list of Greek Gods and picking 2 more names, they decided to just screw Pluto out of its status.
2006-09-08 15:16:23 · answer #2 · answered by Absent Glare 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because, if they keep Pluto as a planet, then they will have to accept the 3 newly discovered objects as planets also. Foe some reason they don't want any more.
2006-09-08 15:08:52 · answer #3 · answered by Dirk Diggler 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Goofy wanted one named after him and the two kept fighting over it, so the good fairy sent them both 2 bed and told Pluto that he no longer has a planet named after him. I understand he is seeking legal advise.
2006-09-09 17:24:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Basically, because its orbit crosses Neptunes.
A group of astronomers decided that in order to be a planet, it has to exhibit orbital dominance, which means if other items orbit the sun in the same ring, then it isn't a planet. There are a lot of other factors involved, check wikipedia
2006-09-08 15:07:23 · answer #5 · answered by Seth W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because a bunch of guys with popcorn stuck in their teeth decided to change the definition of what constitutes a planet...leaving Pluto literally, and figurative out in the cold, black expanse of space without a tru identity.
2006-09-08 15:12:15 · answer #6 · answered by mzJakes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they have found objects in our solar system that are larger than Pluto.
2006-09-09 12:01:53 · answer #7 · answered by lambert_fan1967 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its orbit crosses that of Neptune's (by the new standards it has to have a self-contained orbit), and it is not round (it also has to have sufficient gravity to cause it to have a round or oblong shape).
2006-09-12 11:36:50 · answer #8 · answered by cross-stitch kelly 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
how can you call a big dust cloud a planet, not solid anymore.
2006-09-08 15:09:15 · answer #9 · answered by timm_4_you 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was told it's because of what it's made of. Not it's size.
2006-09-08 15:11:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋