Nothing happened to Pluto other than a classification change. It is now considered a dwarf planet. For Pluto to be considered a major planet, both Ceres and Eris would have to be added to the list, since they share characteristics with Pluto. It was either increase the list to 11 or decrease it to 8, and the IAU went with the simpler solution.
2007-07-10 04:15:13
·
answer #1
·
answered by JLynes 5
·
2⤊
0⤋
Pluto is not "out of" the solar system.
It has to do with Pluto and a number of other objects in space not far from Pluto itself. Pluto has always been the smallest of all, but scientists have found out even smaller planets orbiting the sun. There are many, many objects like this. Now, we obviously could not name all of these our planets, because that would be an extremely large amount. And these types of objects are not rare. Instead, these objects have been named "dwarf planets", for their miniscule size.
2007-07-11 12:44:14
·
answer #2
·
answered by Initiation 3
·
0⤊
0⤋
Pluto is still in the solar system. However, under the new definition of what constitutes a planet, Pluto does not qualify as being a planet.
In 2006, Pluto was demoted to "dwarf planet" status, and in mid June of this year, it suffered a new blow. Observations pinned down the mass of an even larger icy world in the outer solar system called Eris, revealing that it outweighs Pluto by a hefty 27 per cent.
Pluto was considered our solar system's ninth planet until the International Astronomical Union declared it a dwarf planet. A dwarf planet is a term that refers to lesser, round solar system bodies orbiting the sun, mostly in an outer region called the Kuiper belt.
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) voted to demote Pluto from its planetary status. Rejecting an expansive definition proposed by a special committee, the astronomers of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) defined a planet as: a celestial body that orbits around the sun; has sufficient mass to become round; and has "cleared the neighborhood around its orbit."
On the strength of Pluto's inability to dominate nearby Neptune, whose orbit it crosses, as well as to clear out the Kuiper belt of many Pluto-size objects, it fails to qualify as a planet under the new definition.
2007-07-10 12:22:29
·
answer #3
·
answered by Einstein 5
·
1⤊
0⤋
Pluto isn't out of the solar system. You aren't out of the solar system till you are beyond the Oort belt... So, maybe you might want to rephrase...
2007-07-10 11:14:15
·
answer #4
·
answered by Lexington 3
·
0⤊
0⤋
It's too small. There are rocks out there that are bigger than Pluto and they don't get to be planets, so they won't let Pluto be a planet anymore either.
.
2007-07-10 11:16:53
·
answer #5
·
answered by Kacky 7
·
0⤊
0⤋
I know what you mean! It was removed from the list of solar planets because astronomers decided it is too small. but it is still out there blissfully unaware of it's demotion.
2007-07-13 17:44:29
·
answer #6
·
answered by johnandeileen2000 7
·
0⤊
0⤋
because it orbited another planets orbit line.
2007-07-10 11:22:11
·
answer #7
·
answered by Anonymous
·
0⤊
0⤋