The Five Dwarf Planets in Our Solar System
June 3rd, 2013
We recently posted a video from Universe Today publisher Fraser Cain making it clear that there are 8 planets and 5 dwarf planets (including the forlorn Pluto) in our solar system. Space.com has some additional information regarding those five dwarf planets as classified by the International Astronomical Union in 2006.
The five dwarf planets are:
- Eris, slightly larger than Pluto and discovered in 2003 has a diameter of 1,445 miles. Eris has one moon, Dysnomia.
- Pluto, discovered in 1930, has a diameter is 1,430 miles. Pluto has five known moons: Charon, Nix, Hydra and two that were recently discovered and have not yet been named.
- Haumea was discovered in 2003, has an extremely elongated shape, with its longest dimension being about 1,218 miles long. Haumea has two moons, Hi’iaka and Namaka.
- Makemake, discovered in 2005, has no known moons and has an average diameter is 882 miles.
- Ceres, first spotted by astronomers in 1801, has a diameter of 491 miles and was first called a planet and later an asteroid. Ceres has no known moons.
Visit the Space.com site for more information on the five known dwarf planets.
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