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Astronomers had been looking for a "tenth planet" beyond Pluto, and they found one. But it wasn't as big as expected, and the discovery of this "tenth planet" led astronomers to look for other similar objects even further away. With the rapid and ongoing development of more and more powerful telescopes, it became clear that there could be a very large number of moderately-sized but VERY distant objects in the Solar System.
In 2006, the International Astronomical Union met and adopted their first-ever criteria for "What is a planet?". Part of their reasoning was to avoid having dozens (and perhaps hundreds!) of additional planets beyond the traditional nine. But by their new definition, the planet Pluto no longer qualified as a "planet" and was demoted to "dwarf planet". A lot of people - myself included! - believe that Pluto should still be included as a planet for traditional and perhaps sentimental reasons, and the IAU's decision has provoked a LOT of discussion and debate, even among professional astronomers.
The name "Xena" was the tentative name that the discoverers had chosen to use for any new planet candidate. The letter "X" is not only the Roman numeral for "ten", and this would have been the tenth planet, but X is also used to designate an unknown object or quantity. (The discoverers were also big fans of the TV series "Xena, Warrior Princess".) "Planet X" had been a staple of science fiction to designate an unknown or alien planet, so the provisional name "Xena" seemed to fit. Because Xena didn't actually meet the IAU's new criteria for a planet, it got the official name "Eris".
Similar distant objects discovered around the same time also qualified as "dwarf planets", so the Solar System now officially has eight planets (It'll always be nine to me!), five "dwarf planets" including Pluto, Eris/Xena, the asteroid Ceres, and the newly discovered Haumea and Makemake, and a horde of asteroids and comets.
One other reason why Eris/Xena didn't deserve to be a planet is that its orbit is highly elliptical, far more than any planet including Pluto, and very inclined to the ecliptic.
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What dwarf planet discovery bumped Pluto to dwarf planet status?
It was the discovery of "Eris" (originally nicknamed "Xena").
Is Xena another name for UB313?
UB313 was the unofficial name for Eris the largest known dwarf planet. Xena was used by the discovery team to denote UB313. So yes - Xena is UB313 is Eris
Give the other name of dwarf planet xena?
Eris (or Xena), is the largest known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the ninth-largest body known to orbit the Sun directly. It is 27% larger than Pluto. "Xena" was an informal name used by the discovery team.
When was Xena created?
Xena was created in 1995.
What is the name of Xena mother in series Xena Warrior Princess?
Cyrene is the name of the mother of Xena.
Can Xena kill archangel Michael?
No, Xena is a fictional character of Greek Mythology.
How do you write the name xena in Greek?
Xena = Ξενα
What is the planet xena in welsh?
Y blaned Xena.
How did the discovery that mass is a form of energy reolve the debate over earth's age?
I don't think it did.
Xena warrior princess hometown?
Xena's hometown was anphipolis
When was Hope - Xena - created?
Hope - Xena - was created in 1997.
When was Gabrielle - Xena - created?
Gabrielle - Xena - was created in 1995.
