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At their 2006 conference, the IAU re-categorised Pluto as a Dwarf Planet, a category that also included Ceres - the largest member of the Asteroid Belt - and Eris - an object larger than Pluto some distance further out. This year they added Makemake and Haumae, bringing the group up to 5. But the question is; Are these objects actually planets? Well, here's my view on the matter. I present workshops for schools on astronomy and space exploration, and I point out that a few years ago I met the actor Kenny Baker. I tell the pupils that they have probably all seen films that feature Kenny, but they probably haven't seen Kenny himself, because he is usually inside the outfit of R2-D2! Yes, Kenny is one of the main stars of the Star Wars films. Now Kenny is only 3' 8" tall, and so he might be referred to as a dwarf, but what is important is that he is still a human being. He isn't a hippo; he isn't a broccoli; he isn't a hooglyflip. He's a human. So, if a dwarf human is still a human, then surely a dwarf planet is still a planet - it's just a small one. So if we add the 5 dwarf planets to the 8 others, that gives us a total of 13 planets in the solar system. When we had 9, there was a nice mnemonic to remember the sequence, which went; "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Up Nine Planets". For the current list, I have come up with this; "My Very Excellent Mother Creates Jelly Surprise Using Nice Pink Hot Munchy Eggs!" It may not make a lot of sense, but it's a fun way to remember all of our planets.
What else can I help you with?
Do yo think Pluto is a planet?
Pluto is a dwarf planet.
Do all astronomers think that Pluto is a planet?
No, not all astronomers consider Pluto a planet. Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union, leading to debate among scientists about its classification. Some astronomers argue that Pluto does not meet all the criteria to be considered a full planet.
Is Pluto a moon or a planet?
no it's a dwarf planet I would think that it is a dwarf planet, but its moon, Sharon, is nearly as big as it, so some MAY argue that Sharon is a dwarf planet and Pluto is the moon, but considering Pluto is slightly bigger than Sharon, I would think that Sharon would orbit Pluto rather than Pluto orbiting Sharon.
How many planets have a path around the sun?
ummm there were nine planets but scientists decided that Pluto was a dwarf planet so i don't think it counts anymore
Why do you think scientists found it difficult to decide how Pluto should be classified?
Scientists found it difficult to classify Pluto because it has characteristics of both a planet and a dwarf planet. Its small size and unique orbit make it challenging to fit neatly into definitions used for celestial bodies in our solar system. This led to debates and discussions about how best to classify Pluto.
Do yo think Pluto is a planet?
Pluto is a dwarf planet.
Do all astronomers think that Pluto is a planet?
No, not all astronomers consider Pluto a planet. Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union, leading to debate among scientists about its classification. Some astronomers argue that Pluto does not meet all the criteria to be considered a full planet.
Why was Pluto reclassified as a dwarf planet and in what year was it reclassified as such?
Scientists concluded that Pluto is to small to be a normal planet. It is more of a ball of ice. I think this was established in 2008.
Do astronomers think Pluto is a planet?
Astronomers think Pluto is a dwarf planet. And they're right.
Do all astronomers think Pluto is a panet?
No. There are almost no astronomers that think Pluto is a planet. They know it's officially a dwarf planet.
What is considered a dwarf planet?
something like a pluto... i think
Should Eris be a planet?
No. scientists have found dozens of planets about the same size as Eris and Pluto. I think they should just be Dwarf planets.
Is Pluto a moon or a planet?
no it's a dwarf planet I would think that it is a dwarf planet, but its moon, Sharon, is nearly as big as it, so some MAY argue that Sharon is a dwarf planet and Pluto is the moon, but considering Pluto is slightly bigger than Sharon, I would think that Sharon would orbit Pluto rather than Pluto orbiting Sharon.
How many planets have a path around the sun?
ummm there were nine planets but scientists decided that Pluto was a dwarf planet so i don't think it counts anymore
What planet is the dwarf planet?
well if u think about it logically..... Pluto, classified as a planet since its discovery, was reclassified as a dwarf planet only a few years ago.
What is a moon of pluto?
Pluto is not a moon of anything; it is a dwarf planet. Scientists used to think that Pluto may have once been a moon of Neptune, but later studies showed that it could not be so due to the nature of Pluto's orbit.
Why do you think scientists found it difficult to decide how Pluto should be classified?
Scientists found it difficult to classify Pluto because it has characteristics of both a planet and a dwarf planet. Its small size and unique orbit make it challenging to fit neatly into definitions used for celestial bodies in our solar system. This led to debates and discussions about how best to classify Pluto.
