2007-10-08 19:12:46 · 7 answers · asked by pari_paree 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
When Pluto was first discovered about 1930 it was thought by some to be bigger than the Earth. Since then better measurements have shown it to be much, much smaller.
In the past several years more objects about the same size have been found. They were really too small to be called planets but since they were around the same size as Pluto, either they had to be called planets or Pluto had to be demoted to be consistent.
In addition the orbit of Pluto is considerably unlike that of the main planets, it is tilted quite a bit and crosses that of Neptune. Therefore it probably did not form like the other planets and appears to be a stray of some kind.
At the 2006 meeting of the International Astronomical Union the non-unanimous vote was that it was no longer to be called a planet.
Scientists reclassify things all the time as better information comes in. Usually they reclassify bacteria, plants or sometimes animals or rocks. This almost never makes the news even though it is more likely to be important to us because these things are here on Earth. Pluto is a very long way away and as recently as 1929 nobody even knew it was there.
2007-10-08 19:30:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Does Pluto Exist
2016-10-14 09:30:34 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pluto still exists, but it is no longer considered a planet. At a meeting last summer, the group of astronomers who worry about such things decided that Pluto is too small to count as a planet.
2007-10-08 20:19:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Pluto does exist - it's there.
However, astronomers have decided that it is not made of the right stuff to be considered a planet, after all.
So they have reclassified its status, and called it a planetoid. But it's still Pluto, and it's still there.
2007-10-08 19:22:43 · answer #4 · answered by elmina 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The object once known as the "planet" Pluto has been "demoted" to a "planetoid", which means it does not qualify for the full definition of being a planet. Its still there - it just isn't called a "planet" anymore.
2007-10-08 19:16:31 · answer #5 · answered by Paul Hxyz 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Some Scientists say Pluto is just a big chunk of Ice, and will melt away.
2007-10-08 19:18:32 · answer #6 · answered by Answers 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
what you think that Pluto is not in the solor system
2013-11-12 11:35:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋