What is a dwarf planet?
A dwarf planet a member of the Solar System that doesn’t quite meet the definition of a planet. It is defined as an object that is in orbit around the Sun, that has enough mass for its self-gravity to squeeze it into a mostly spherical shape, that has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit, and that is not a satellite. The most famous dwarf planet is Pluto, but others include Haumea, Makemake, Eris and Ceres (which is also the largest object in the asteroid belt. For years it too was considered a planet before the discovery of other asteroids led to it’s demotion)
Written by Allen Versfeld
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