Why Is Pluto Not A Planet?

For decades, Pluto has been celebrated as the ninth planet in our solar system. However, in 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined what constituted the planet, resulting in Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf. The decision sparked widespread debate between scientists and the public. So, what has changed? Why did Pluto lose its planetary status? Let’s explore the reasons for this major transformation in astronomy.

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Pluto was discovered on February 18, 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh of the Lowell Observatory in Arizona. Its existence was predicted when astronomers looked for “planet X” to explain violations in Neptune and Uranus’ orbits. At the time, Pluto was considered a planet because its orbit around the Sun, although it was much smaller than originally thought.

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Venetia Burney, an 11-year-old girl from England, suggested the name “Pluto”, which he named after the Roman god of the underworld. Since Pluto is located in the cold, dark outside of the solar system, the name is appropriate.

But over the years, astronomers have learned that Pluto is not unique. It is just one of many small cold bodies on the Kuiper belt, which is outside Neptune, filled with countless frozen objects. The discovery of several Pluto-like objects has led scientists to question whether Pluto should be classified as a planet.

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In 2006, the IAU introduced a new definition that is what makes celestial bodies a planet. According to this definition, a planet must meet three key criteria:

It must circumnavigate the sun.
It has to be huge enough gravity to pull it into an almost round shape.
It must have “cleared the neighbors around the orbit” – meaning that the Earth should dominate its region’s gravity and not share the orbit with other objects of similar size.

Pluto failed to pass the third criterion. Unlike the eight recognized planets, Pluto shares its orbit with many other objects in the Kuiper Belt, meaning it does not “clear its vicinity.” Therefore, Pluto is no longer suitable for the definition of a mature planet and was reclassified as a dwarf on August 24, 2006.

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The role of Eris in Pluto reclassification

In 2005, astronomers discovered Eris, an object brought by Cooper, who was originally thought to be larger than Pluto. This discovery creates a dilemma: If Pluto is considered a planet, are Eris and other similar objects also classified as planets? This could increase the number of planets in our solar system to dozens.

To avoid confusion, International Atoms modified its definition of planets, resulting in the downgrade of Pluto. Along with Pluto, Eris is also classified as a dwarf under the new standard.

Science and public response

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The reclassification of Pluto triggers emotional reactions, especially among those who grew up on planets. Many scientists and space enthusiasts disagree with the decision, believing that the IAU is too strict.

One of the most voice critics of Pluto’s relegation is Alan Stern, the lead investigator of NASA New Horizons Mission, which explored Pluto in 2015. Stern believes that even the Earth has not completely cleared its orbit because asteroids exist in their orbital paths.

Despite the controversy, Pluto remains an object of great scientific interest. New Horizons’ mission provides amazing images of Pluto’s surface, revealing glaciers, mountains and potentially underground oceans, suggesting that Pluto is an active and vibrant world, regardless of its classification.

Pluto’s legacy and the future of planetary science

Although it is no longer officially a planet, Pluto remains the focus of planetary research. Its reclassification gives people a better understanding of the structure of our solar system and opens the door to further study the Kuiper belt and other distant objects.