It's okay, Pluto!
In our school days, we all have learned that there are total nine planets in our solar system family. I will not name each one of them now! But in 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded the lovable planet, Pluto, from its ninth position. Feeling rejected, Pluto left with Charon and its other four moons to find a place in the galaxy. Poor Pluto! :(
So what happened to the planet? It is still out there at the edge of our solar system? What changed? Well, Pluto is definitely not changed but our understanding is changed. Let’s find out!
A little bit about planet Pluto
- We can say that Pluto is one of the most controversial, mysterious, and kind of famous planet in the solar system. It is called as the the dwarf planet that lies in the Kuiper Belt.
- In 1930, planet Pluto was discovered by an astronomer named Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell observatory.
- Almost all the planets in our solar systems revolve around the Sun in near circles. But Pluto takes the oval-shaped path to revolve around the Sun. Thug life!
- Pluto has five moons. The largest is Charon. It is so big that Pluto and Charon orbit each other like a double planet.
- Pluto’s surface is way too cold, -228 to -238 C.
Criteria to become a planet
- The object should revolve around a star: Considering our solar system, it should be the Sun.
- The object must be spherical in shape: The object must be big enough to have enough gravity to force it into a spherical shape.
- The area around the orbit of an object should be clear and should not have any equivalent or bigger celestial body: This means that with the help of its gravity the planet should clear it’s nearby asteroids or meteoroids. Pluto has not cleared his orbit.
Reason Pluto is not a planet anymore
As we discussed the criteria to become a planet, Pluto checks the two boxes but fails with the third requirement. Pluto has not cleared his orbit. Pluto failed to clear his neighborhood which means there should not be any nearby objects other than its own satellites.
Pluto does not have the dominant gravitational body. In this case, the dominant means that the planet must either consume or clear away other objects that will come in between in its orbital path.
Please do not forget Pluto
Just because Pluto lost its position as a planet in our solar system doesn’t mean it is not fascinating enough. Let me just share some interesting facts about Pluto:
- It takes about 248 years for Pluto to complete one orbit. So if you lived on Pluto, you would have to wait 248 Earth years to celebrate your birthday in Pluto years.
- Ice volcanos and oceans are present under it’s surface.
- If your weight is 100 pounds on Earth, then you would weigh only 7 pounds on Pluto. Woohooo! Time to migrate to Pluto. :P
- Pluto was discovered on February 18, 1930, and it hasn’t yet made a full revolution around the Sun because of its incredibly slow orbit. Pluto will make its first full orbit in the year 2178.
- Pluto got its name from 11-year old girl Venetia Burney from Oxford. The name Pluto interprets the Roman God of the underworld.
- August 24, is considered a Pluto Demoted Day.
- Pluto is also known as Schrödinger’s Planet.
Noteworthy resources
Hey Pluto you are a cutooo! You are still a planet in my heart. :)
What do you think? Should Pluto be a planet or is it right where it belongs?
