Lately, scientist have degraded the planet Pluto to a moon. While it does rotate the sun, they say it's too small to be a planet. What are your thoughts?
Pluto isn't actually a moon, Rather it is the second largest " Dwarf Planet" (I know that's an oxi-moron) right behind Eris. I'm pretty sure it's the largest member of the Kuiper Belt, But could be wrong about that. So with that being said, It's a planet.. well.. Dwarf Planet.
If it is not big enough to be called a planet, then what is it? Also, Pluto seems to be an exception. Over a long period of time, the planet will be in front of Neptune, and behind Uranus. Almost like it's being pulled by the bigger planet's gravity.
Perhaps, but remember that the Uranus and Neptune are small planets. The sun is tremendously larger than all the planets combined and the gravity can extend all the way to Pluto. Neptune and Uranus are much smaller so I hardly doubt that logic. Uranus is also small!
That's why it's not enough to make it fully rotate around the planet, but enough to pull it. That, was awfully disgusting.
Pluto was declassified from a planet to a "dwarf planet", but apart from size I don't see much difference between the two terms. The gas giants are very different from the the rest of the planets yet are still as planets - they're obviously not the same. Clinging onto the idea of nine planets and other unimportant rocks seems outdated. I believe in equality for all rocks in space, they're all just rocks in space why must we discrimate against the "moons" and "asteroids"? /scientific ignorance
So what are the possibilities it will get captured by another planet. When Pluto has the largest axis and and even if it gets pulled it will only disrupt the axis and change the axis. It is not a moon regardless, it would have been wise to have the thread named. Pluto: Planet, or Dwarf?
Pluto is not classified as a dwarf planet, it has its own category know as, a plutonian, as with one other cosmic entity in our solar system I cant remember which one, but we still only have one dwarf planet. And to clear things up for some of you, (1) A "planet" is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (c) has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit (2) A "dwarf planet" is a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, (c) has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit, and (d) is not a satellite. Bibliology: Nasa.gov, IAU(International Astronomical Union.)
Yes, it's too small to be a Planet and so it is now referred to as a "Dwarf" Planet. Pluto's moon is nearly half the size of the Dwarf planet itself. It's kinda weird if you think about it though. Moons orbit Planets ~ Planets orbit Stars ~ Stars orbit the centre of the Galaxy ~ Galaxies orbit the Centre of the Universe ~ Unknown.
Yeah.... This wasn't "lately" more like years ago. But anyways. It's not a planet nor a moon. I think putting pluto in the dwarf planet category was perfect. Not to small, not to big.
couldve swore it was classified as an dwarf planet as of now. It isnt a planet because 1) It is small. 2) I don't believe it is spherical 3) It doesn't follow a circular orbit/ it revolves around the sun in an elliptical path, like that of an asteroid. Number 3 is the main reason, from my understanding
I believe they determined that its large mass caused it to drift away from an asteroid belt and follow an orbital path around the sun.
yea that sounds right, there was also another large asteroid that was coming towards our solar system or something, it was large enough to be a planet, but it followed a huge elliptical path, so it wasn't added.
technically yes it is a planet, but the scientists changed the definition of a planet to it having to also be a certain size, but it is not a moon so who knows.
Who on earth really cares about Pluto's fate. Pluto will not change in size nor mass depending on what it's labeled. In fact it doesn't care and neither should you. The only people benefited by this are 2nd graders who must memorize the planets. Now they have one less, woohoo!
Neither are correct. It is a dwarf planet or an ice ball depending on what terminology you want to use (I'm sure there is a correct term for it). Rusty, it makes all the difference. It contributes to our knowledge of the universe and our own solar system but of course you've already got the universe figured out - absolutely.
You are right but I guess nobody saw your comment and two other people posted what you said already lol.