2007-03-27 00:07:41 · 8 answers · asked by redzeoranger2003 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The International Astronomical Union decided that Pluto was no longer a planet. The reason is that while Pluto is round, orbits the sun, and has three moons, it has not cleared (via gravity) its own orbit of debris. Instead, they decided to classify it as a "dwarf planet".
See the details below.
RESOLUTION 5A
The IAU therefore resolves that "planets" and other bodies in our Solar System, except satellites, be defined into three distinct categories in the following way:
(1) A "planet" [footnote 1] is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (c) has cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.
(2) A "dwarf planet" is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape [footnote 2] , (c) has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit, and (d) is not a satellite.
(3) All other objects [footnote 3] except satellites orbiting the Sun shall be referred to collectively as "Small Solar-System Bodies".
Footnote 1: The eight "planets" are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Footnote 2: An IAU process will be established to assign borderline objects into either dwarf planet and other categories.
Footnote 3: These currently include most of the Solar System asteroids, most Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs), comets, and other small bodies.
RESOLUTION 6A
The IAU further resolves:
Pluto is a "dwarf planet" by the above definition and is recognized as the prototype of a new category of trans-Neptunian objects.
2007-03-28 17:12:23 · answer #1 · answered by Otis F 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pluto has not changed, our classification system has. It still orbits the sun as always, so in this sense it is a planet , a part of the solar system. But, many objects smaller than most of the planets orbit the sun, for example, asteroids. Pluto was decided to be too small to be classified as a planet, so now it is a dwarf planet.
2007-03-27 07:28:14 · answer #2 · answered by pahinLA 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pluto started being considered a dwarf planet since 2006.
2007-03-30 17:21:11 · answer #3 · answered by neutron 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they changed the status of Pluto a few weeks ago...i read a good article on it on National Geographic.they re-classified it as a dwarf planet
2007-03-27 07:18:01 · answer #4 · answered by annie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pluto has been declassified to a dwarf planet
2007-03-27 07:11:20 · answer #5 · answered by dudara 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah, it was classified as a dwarf planet... it's size is just like the size of a supernova...
2007-03-27 07:17:12 · answer #6 · answered by vampire13 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was recently swabbed by the experts and anabolic steriods were detected. It got a lifetime ban.
2007-03-27 07:18:02 · answer #7 · answered by John M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well yeah
2007-03-27 07:13:42 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋