What Are The Dwarf Planets Of The Solar System?
When we refer to the dwarf planets of the Solar System, we mean that these, basically and as their name suggests, are planets smaller than the other planets. Now, we often ask, "How so small?" Well, research indicates, without going into specific figures, that these dwarf planets are located somewhere between the so-called "normal" planets and the rest of the asteroids.
Scientific descriptions about dwarf planets
The above is the basic assumption and the usual explanation. And, although it is partly true, it is not the criteria by which a planet is described as a "dwarf planet". The trials, on the other hand, are as follows:
1. Orbit
They are in orbit close to the Sun. In other words, they revolve around it.
2.Mass
Their masses are sufficient for their own gravities to overpower the forces of their massive bodies. That is to say, they have a spherical or nearly spherical shape.
3. They are not satellites
Dwarf planets are not satellites of a planet. They do not orbit close to any celestial body other than the Sun.
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Curious facts about dwarf planets
One of the revealing aspects of these scientific findings is that it has not managed to clear the populations of its orbit. When a celestial body reaches a fixed level of evolution, it exerts a significant influence on the celestial bodies around it, either attracting them, pushing them away, or causing them to orbit close to it. This is not the case with dwarf planets, which explains the presence of other, relatively independent celestial bodies in their orbital vicinity.
Of these four judgments, the only one that distinguishes dwarf planets from the rest of the planets is the last. “Normal” planets possess sufficient potential to clear their orbital populations, while dwarf planets do not.
As a curiosity, those trans-Neptunian dwarf planets , that is, those located beyond the orbit of Neptune , taking the Sun as a reference, are treated as plutoids.
Observe Which Are The Dwarf Planets Of The Solar System
If we're talking about the dwarf planets in the Solar System, there are five in total. Their names are Ceres, Pluto , Eris, Makemake, and Haumea. And these are their main characteristics:
1.Ceres
Discovered in 1801 by Giuseppe Piazzi, it lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter . It was initially thought to be a comet, then a planet, and later a dwarf planet. Its mass is one-third of the total mass of the asteroid belt.
It has a diameter of approximately 950 x 932 km, roughly the distance between Gibraltar and Gijón (crossing Spain vertically). It is a planet with water in its interior, a discovery made by the European Space Agency in 2014. Furthermore, Ceres is considered one of the most fascinating dwarf planets in the solar system due to its unique composition.
2. Pluto
Everyone knows Pluto , the ninth planet in the solar system , but few know that, since scientists reclassified it in 2006, it is no longer a true planet. Now, Pluto is a dwarf planet; however, they prefer to call it a "tiny planet" (despite being the second largest dwarf planet in the solar system).
This designation is in doubt, and some astronomers suggest restoring its planet status. This dwarf planet has also been described as a binary system , considering its moon Charon, which has a similar size. Dwarf or binary, the truth is that Pluto is suffering from a severe identity crisis. It has been repeatedly classified as a planet, dwarf planet, planetoid, plutoid , plutino, and "trans-Neptunian object" ...
The most accurate description would be that it's a double planet, since its moons, Nix and Hydra, orbit both Pluto and Charon. Furthermore, so much debate is understandable, given that it's the outermost planet in the Solar System ; a probe is scheduled to visit it in 2015 to assess its needs.
The fact is that after the 2006 meeting, Pluto left us with one less planet in the Solar System, and it's less clear how many there truly are. While scientists have their reasons for distinguishing between planets and dwarf planets , it's also interesting to know that there are many natural satellites in the solar system, which also play an important role in the dynamics of its orbit.
Scientific fact about why Pluto became considered a dwarf planet
Pluto's reclassification in 2006 was not without controversy. The primary reason for questioning the decision was its failure to meet the fourth requirement for a planet: to clear its orbit of human populations and to influence the celestial bodies that surround it.
Many scientists argued at the time, and the debate remains open today, primarily after the revelations of the New Horizons probe, which has justified that Pluto has five satellites and an atmosphere , so it would have enough room to contribute to the trajectory of the stars in its environment.
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3.Eris
This dwarf planet, with a diameter of 2.300 km, is slightly smaller than Pluto; however, it is three times farther from the Sun, making it the outermost object in the Solar System, excluding some comets (and the Voyager 1 probe, currently about 2 billion kilometers beyond Eris). It was discovered in 2005 and has since been referred to as the " tenth planet ."
The surface of Eridium is covered by a blanket of frozen methane, making it a beautiful sight and a very bad one for your health. Its natural color is reddish, but the methane and the formation of Tolinas give it a bluish-gray appearance.
Eris is accompanied by a moon called Dysnomia, which is only 150 km in diameter. In another sense, Eris was the planet of contention: its discovery prompted scientists to convene in 2006, and as a result, not only did Pluto lose its place, but the entire classification of the Solar System underwent a revision, all so that Eris could fit into the model. If you're interested, you can also learn more about the dwarf planet Haumea and its characteristics.
4. Haumea
Like the three previous ones, it is located in the Kuiper Belt, beyond the orbit of Neptune (thus being classified as a plutoid). It was discovered in 2003 by José Luis Ortiz Moreno at the Sierra Nevada Observatory (Spain). Its axis measures 1300-1900 km, making it a planet with a spiral shape.
Aside from these dwarf planets, there is a group called "potential dwarf planets," which are not yet categorized as dwarf planets but are being researched for possible future classification. It is estimated that there are 200 dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt (in the outer Solar System) and up to 10.000 in a more distant region. Clearly, the topic of minor planets continues to evolve.
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The Solar System is much more complex than what we are taught in the era when it is easier to learn, and for most human beings it would be more useful to simply think that there are 19 planets, without going into details.
Finally, the universe is enormous, one could say it has no end, and every day brings a new fact that reveals to us in greater depth what the dwarf planets of the solar system are.
