How many planets do we have?

Answer 1

There are 9 planets in the space known as Mercury,venus,earth,mars,jupiter,saturn,uranum,neptune,pluto. There used to be 9 planets. But the International Astronomical Union discovered Eris, beyond Pluto which was a few hundred kilometers larger than Pluto. Then there could have been 10 planets. So the IAU came up with three 'conditions' to be a planet: - they need to orbit the Sun - they need to have enough gravity to pull themselves into a ball - they need to have cleared out all other objects from their orbit. Although Pluto orbits the Sun, and has pulled itself into a sphere, Pluto cannot clear other celestial debris from its orbit. Earth is more than 1 million times more bigger than all the other material in its orbit combined, while Pluto is just a tiny fraction of the rest of the icy material around it. The IAU decided to name Pluto and Eris as dwarf planets. Asteroid Ceres meets those requirements, so it is also classified as a dwrf planet. Summing up; there are currently 8 planets and 3 dwarf planets in our Solar system

Answer 2

We do not know how many planets there are in space. But the answer would be in the Billions or trillions.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognises eight planets in our solar system (from closest to sun to furthest);

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

A further five dwarf planets are recognised by the IAU;

Ceres (in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter), Pluto, Haumea, Makemake and Eris.

Several further dwarf planet candidates have been discovered beyond Pluto's orbit, but are yet to be formally classified by the IAU. These include; Orcus, Ixion, Varuna, Quaoar and Sendna among others.

In our solar system at this time, there are:

* 8 major planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune)

* 5 dwarf planets (Pluto, Eris, makemake, Haumea and Ceres)

* Hundreds of thousands of minor planets (which include asteroids and Kuiper Belt Objects).

Also, as may 2011, there are 548 discovered extrasolar planets (planets that exist outside out solar system). [See related question]
There are approximately 560,000,000,000 planets in outer space that scientists have discovered.
In this solar system, there are eight planets. In this galaxy, there are likely between 50 billion and a trillion planets - or more. At this point, we can hardly guess.

Answer 3

Given the revised definition by the International Astronomical Union in August, 2006, there are 8 planets orbiting our Sun, and it is unlikely that any other celestial objects will be found meeting the necessary criteria. On August 24, 2006, Pluto was reclassified by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) as a "dwarf planet", a classification shared by the asteroid Ceres and three trans-Neptunian Kuiper Belt objects : Eris, Haumea, and Makemake. (Kuiper Belt object Sedna is a current candidate as well.)

Answer 4

As of August 24th, 2006 when the International Astronomical Union (IAU) defined what it means to be a "planet" within our Solar System, we officially stand with eight planets.

Within our system we have eight planets (major). As of December 2011 there are 310376 numbered minor planets with an estimated similar count which have not been numbered. Five minor planets have been officially classified as "dwarf planets", of the minor planets, another 390 are being considered for designation as a dwarf planet.

Answer 5

8... including Pluto

Answer 6

8