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The word "planet" has been divided into two newer concepts: major planets and dwarf planets.

The definition of major planet excludes Pluto because a major planet must have cleared its orbit of asteroids, comets, and other debris. Pluto is a part of the Kuiper belt, and has not absorbed most of the cometary bodies into itself, or captured them as satellites. Pluto is therefore a dwarf planet.

The rules of a planet are:

  • It orbits a star or the remnants of a star
  • It is large enough for gravity to squash it into a sphere-like shape
  • It must have cleared its orbit

Pluto's orbit has many icy bodies in its path, most of them in the Kuiper Belt where Pluto spends most of its time.

The definition of planet was changed in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). As a dwarf planet Pluto is in the same category as Eris (which is bigger than Pluto), Ceres (king of the asteroids), and possibly other bodies being discovered in the Kuiper Belt.

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If Pluto is a dwarf planet is it still considered a planet?

No. It is considered as a dwarf planet If you order a small Pepsi, you still get Pepsi, right? Pluto is a planet. It is a special class of planet; it is a dwarf planet. What it is not is a major planet.


Do you say Pluto when you mention the major planets?

No, because Pluto is not considered a planet by the scientific community.


Is there enough evidence to support the idea that Pluto is not a planet?

That's a difficult question to answer, just because of how it's phrased. It is a common misconception that Pluto is no longer considered a planet. This idea is silly, though. Pluto is very obviously a planet. It is, however, considered a minor planet, rather than a major one, because it does not match defining qualifications to be a major planet. The reason it was not originally classified as a minor planet is that technology simply wasn't sharp enough to give us a good look at it. Pluto remained something of an enigma, with its highly elliptical orbit and elusive features. We just didn't know how to classify Pluto. As technology has progressed, we have been able to identify that Pluto is just too small to be considered a major planet. It is instead considered to be a dwarf planet, a category not even recognized at the time of Pluto's discovery. If we were to consider Pluto a major planet, we would also have to consider Ceres, Eris, and Makemake major planets. To synopsize your answer, no, there is not enough evidence to support the idea that Pluto is not a planet. Mainstream science doesn't consider Pluto to not be a planet. Popular culture captured Pluto's changed classification and incorporated it into mythology.


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.


Since Pluto is not a planet what is the smallest planet?

Mercury is the smallest of the 8 "major planets" with about 5.5% of the mass of Earth. It is smaller but more massive than the largest moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Pluto is now considered a "dwarf planet" along with the asteroid Ceres and three other very distant Kuiper Belt objects.

Related Questions

When was Pluto considered a major planet?

Pluto was considered a major planet from 1930 to 2006.


Is Pluto an inferior planet?

Pluto is no longer considered a planet by major astronomers. It has been reclassified as a Kuiper Belt object- a sort of secondary asteroid belt among the outer planets, not the one between Jupiter and Mars. as such it is no longer a planet.


What planet and dwarf planet alternate as eighth position from the Sun?

Neptune is the farthest planet from the sun. Pluto's orbit is sometimes farther out, but Pluto is no longer considered a planet.


If Pluto is a dwarf planet is it still considered a planet?

No. It is considered as a dwarf planet If you order a small Pepsi, you still get Pepsi, right? Pluto is a planet. It is a special class of planet; it is a dwarf planet. What it is not is a major planet.


Which is not a major planet in your solar system?

Pluto was recently stripped of the honour of being a planet


Do you say Pluto when you mention the major planets?

No, because Pluto is not considered a planet by the scientific community.


Is there enough evidence to support the idea that Pluto is not a planet?

That's a difficult question to answer, just because of how it's phrased. It is a common misconception that Pluto is no longer considered a planet. This idea is silly, though. Pluto is very obviously a planet. It is, however, considered a minor planet, rather than a major one, because it does not match defining qualifications to be a major planet. The reason it was not originally classified as a minor planet is that technology simply wasn't sharp enough to give us a good look at it. Pluto remained something of an enigma, with its highly elliptical orbit and elusive features. We just didn't know how to classify Pluto. As technology has progressed, we have been able to identify that Pluto is just too small to be considered a major planet. It is instead considered to be a dwarf planet, a category not even recognized at the time of Pluto's discovery. If we were to consider Pluto a major planet, we would also have to consider Ceres, Eris, and Makemake major planets. To synopsize your answer, no, there is not enough evidence to support the idea that Pluto is not a planet. Mainstream science doesn't consider Pluto to not be a planet. Popular culture captured Pluto's changed classification and incorporated it into mythology.


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.


In 2006 which planet was demoted and taken off the list of major planets?

Here is a list of all major planets and their diameters. Pluto no longer meets the criteria to be considered a major planet. Mercury 4,880 kmVenus 12,104 kmEarth 12,756 kmMars 6,794 kmJupiter 142,984 kmSaturn 120,536 kmUranus 51,118 kmNeptune 49,532 km


How long was Pluto considered one of the major planets?

From its discovery in 1930 until its degradation in 2006 Pluto was considered the solar system's ninth planet. Now it is considered a dwarf planet, and one of 5 official dwarf planets.


What planet disappeared?

No planet actually disappeared. A couple of years ago, there was agreement among most professional astronomers that Pluto should not be considered a major planet. It is no longer listed as a major planet of our solar system, but it is still there.


Since Pluto is not a planet what is the smallest planet?

Mercury is the smallest of the 8 "major planets" with about 5.5% of the mass of Earth. It is smaller but more massive than the largest moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Pluto is now considered a "dwarf planet" along with the asteroid Ceres and three other very distant Kuiper Belt objects.