When I was a child and I had to learn about the Solar System, there were nine planets orbiting around the Sun. Pluto was the last one. It was discovered in 1930 and was named the ninth planet. But in 2006, the International Astronomical Union decided that Pluto was a new kind of astronomical object: a dwarf planet.
The controversy began in 1992 when astronomers discovered other icy bodies out beyond Neptune's orbit, in a region called the Kuiper belt. The debate intensified when objects approaching Pluto's size were discovered.
In 2005, an object called Eris was discorered. Some people wanted Eris recognized as the tenth planet. Other argued that so many objects similar to Pluto in the same area of space meant that Pluto was not a planet, but new kind of object that astronomers named dwarf planet.
Dwarf planets are objects that orbit the Sun and have enough mass to develop round shape but have not cleared their orbits of objects. Known dwarf planets in the Solar System are Pluto, Eris, Ceres, Haumea and Makemake.
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| Pluto. (https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/933/true-colors-of-pluto/) |
Not all astronomers agree with this new status for Pluto. Some of them think that Pluto is still a planet. For this reason we have discussed in class about Pluto; we wonder if Pluto is still a planet or if it is something different. After talking about the question, what do you think? Must be Pluto again be considered a planet? Why?
I hope your answers as comments. Try to write them in English. |
| Dwarf planets (Wikipedia) |
ResponderEliminarI think that Pluto shouldn't be a planet, and it's very good as a dwarf planet. Pluto has not cleared its orbit and this is a
characteristic that planets have to follow.
Of course I do not rule out that it could be a planet and that there are characteristics that I am not taking into account. This is my opinion. What do you think?
JULIA CABALLERO REYES 1º ESO A 22/10/19
I was used to studyng Pluto as a planet, so it is difficult for me thinking of it about something different. Anyway, it hasn't all the characteristics that a celestial body needs to be a planet. And the most important: its orbit is different to the orbit of the rest of the planets. Perhaps the point is that Pluto probably was a satellite of Neptune in the past. Who knows...
EliminarI considered that Pluto is not a planet because apart from that it is much smaller even than the moon and that it is a neightbor of gaseous planets.That is why it is believed that pluto originated in another part of the space and was trapped by the gravity of the sun.
ResponderEliminarI consider that pluto n is not a planet because apart from that it can be smaller than the moon and that it is bovine of the gaseous planets it is believed that pluto could have formed in another part of space and was trapped by the gravity of the sun.
ResponderEliminarGood answer Paula. It is a very interesting idea!!!
EliminarHello! I think it can be a planet because with
ResponderEliminartwo characteristics, even if it is missing, one has the majority. Although also as it lacks a characteristic one could say that it is a dwarf planet so I am not even found and in favor. My name is Maria Lopez Jimenez 1ESOA
Good comment, Maria.
EliminarHello! I think it can be a planet because with
ResponderEliminartwo characteristics, even if it is missing, one has the majority. Although also as it lacks a characteristic one could say that it is a dwarf planet so I am not even found and in favor
Hi.
ResponderEliminarI think that is be a planet because the third rule i think that is not true.
The thurd rule say that all the planets are the orbit clear.
Saturn have rings with rocks and dirt.The orbit of Saturn are not clear.
The orbit of Pluto is not clear,but Saturn is considered a planet.
My name ia Saúl Sierra Leal 1 ESO B
Hi Saul, are you sure? One thing is the orbit and other the rings. The rings are around Saturn and move with them around the orbit. But it orbit is clean of debris. What happens with satellites? I think that in your opinion, celestial bodies with satellites are not planets because they have not cleaned their orbit of... Satellites?
ResponderEliminarAny way, good comment!
hi Pluto should not be a planet because of its size and its sustainability.The reason number 1 is because it is smaller than the moon and they want it to be a planet but and dwarf, well no, and a thousand times not if it was another satellite of the Earth would be chaos but I have come to talk about whether Pluto is a planet, no.
ResponderEliminarHermes Salguero Morales 1esoB.
Hi. I think that Pluto should be a planet, I know it dosen’t follow al the rules for it to be a one. But I think that a celestial body that follows at least one rule should be considered a secondary planet. A celestial body that follows two rules could be considered a primary planet. I know this does not exist, but I think that it could be esear to put planets in those categories. So Pluto follows two rules meaning that it could be considered a primary planet . Also like my friend Ainoa said the other day in Pluto’s dilema. If it is not considred a planet because it just follows two rules then a person that dosen’t have some body parts is not considered a person... I THINK.... Any way that is my Pluto’s conclusion I may not be right but I will have to search up information to convince me that Pluto is a primary planet 😅😅...
ResponderEliminarCarmen Baltar Ruiz 1º ESO A
Hi Carmen! Good solution for the question!!! In my opinion it would be very interesting to decide if a celestial body is a planet or not considering a number of criteria. In our case, Pluto would be a planet if it matches, for example, the eighty percent of the points.
EliminarYou say that you will have to look for information... I am sure you will do. Try to read about its unusual orbit, its shape, its inclination... Compare it with the orbits or other planets and draw your own conclusions.
I am looking forward to reading your opinions.
And finally... Very, very good comment!
Hi. According to one study, Pluto is not only a planet - that is determined by its shape and the fact that its orbit has a spherical shape - it is also one of the most interesting in the solar system. Researchers say it is more alive than Mars and is almost as complex as Earth, and there is no real logic that explains why it should not be called a planet.
ResponderEliminarMy name is David Fernández López. 1ESO B
Hi. According to one study, Pluto is not only a planet - that is determined by its shape and the fact that its orbit has a spherical shape - it is also one of the most interesting in the solar system. Researchers say it is more alive than Mars and is almost as complex as Earth, and there is no real logic that explains why it should not be called a planet. My name is David Fernández López 1 ESO B.
ResponderEliminarGood! Very good!! But let me know what does "more alive than Mars" mean for you? Do you think of Pluto as a planet with living beings? I am waiting for a new comment with the answers.
ResponderEliminarHi.I like so much this experiment of Pluto, and I am going to comment some thinks of this interesting planet.
ResponderEliminarIf the volume of the Earth is 1, the Pluto's volume is 0,06. And there is space for 500 Plutos in only one Earth. It has 2.200 km of diameter, the half of the diameter of Mercury.And if the weigth of the Earth is 1, the weigth of Pluto is 0,06. Is amazing that the weigth of one Earth is like the weigth of 16,6667 Plutos.
My name is Iker, of 3ºESO-B.