Is Pluto really a planet?
Pluto has been the ninth planet in our solar system ever since it was found. But, Pluto is a small rocky planet with a very strange orbit. Sim it doesn't really fit in with the rest of the gaseous outer planets. Pluto is more like an asteroid. So, some astronomers don't think Pluto should be called a planet.
The International Astronomical Union (IAU)is a group that gets to decide questions for astronomers around the world. They have been talking about Pluto, and what it should be called. Since Pluto is very important to a lot of people, the IAU isn't going to say Pluto can't be a planet. They are talking about calling Pluto both a planet and an asteroid, but Pluto still is a planet!
Submitted by Matt (Missouri, USA), Kristin (Texas, USA), Karen (Hong Kong), Matthew (New York, USA), Ian and Christi (Oregon, USA)
(May 4, 1999)
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
Learn about Earth and space science, and have fun while doing it! The games
section of our online store
includes a climate change card game
and the Traveling Nitrogen game
You might also be interested in:
It depends on which type of motion you are asking about. If you take a birds-eye view from the top of the solar system all the planets orbit around the Sun in a counter-clockwise (or direct) direction....more
Have you ever wondered how astronauts live in space? Did you know they do a lot of the same things we do here on Earth? Astronauts eat, exercise and sleep just like we do. However, their food isn't always...more
There is a really neat internet program called Solar System Live that shows where all of the planets and the Sun are. If you go to that page, you'll see an image similar to the one on the left. Below the...more
The picture of the American Flag (the one put there by the Apollo astronauts) is waving (or straight out) in the wind. How could that be possible if there is no atmosphere on the Moon? Was it some sort...more
I was wondering if there is a new planet? Are there planets (a tenth planet?) after Pluto belonging to our solar system? What are the names of the new planets discovered in the solar system? Are there...more
When an object has a really high energy, it can form a black hole. This is called a primordial black hole. Primordial black holes were formed near the beginning of the universe. Primordial black holes...more