Dwarf Planets
Dede Zweifel
What is it?
More...
Examples...
Pluto
Pluto used to be known as the ninth planet. It was discovered in 1930. While Pluto orbited the sun, it also went around in a circle around it's orbit. Pluto isn't the only object in its orbit. To be a planet, it needed to be able to clear all other objects out of its orbit. In 2006, scientists declared Pluto as a dwarf planet.
Eris
Eris is the ninth largest body to orbit the sun. It is 27% larger than Pluto. It was discovered in 2005. In 2006, it was declared a dwarf planet.
Makemake
Makemake is the largest dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt.
Ceres
It is the only dwarf planet in the inner solar system.
Haumea
It is located just beyond Neptune's orbit and is one-third of Pluto's mass. It is also shaped like an egg. Therefore, it is not a planet, because to be a planet, it must be nearly round in shape.
Why Pluto?
Eris and Pluto
-Rotate the sun
-Must be nearly round in shape
-Clear away objects and be the only object in its orbit
Pluto and Eris did not follow the last rule, so they became a dwarf planet.
So, what does that mean?
Info Sources
-Company, Sol. "Dwarf Planets". www.solstation.com/stars/dwarfpla.htm
-World Book, Inc. Neptune, Comets, and Dwarf Planets. 2010. Print.
-World Book, Inc. World Book 'P'. 2010. Print.
Picture Sources
-http://aswathigalaxy.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/pluto.jpg
-http://www.windows2universe.org/our_solar_system/dwarf_planets/images/dwarf_planet_sizes_sm.jpg
-http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0706/eris_lombry_big.jpg
-http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0807/makemake_nasa_big.jpg
-http://www.dailygalaxy.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/06/26/ceres.jpg
-http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/2003EL61art.jpg/220px-2003EL61art.jpg