“Is Pluto a Planet? Exploring the Ongoing Debate Among Astronomers and Scientists”

Hitekno.com – There has been debate as to whether Pluto is a planet or not at this time. Because in the past Pluto was considered the farthest planet from our solar system, but what about now?

Pluto, a celestial object located in the Kuiper belt, has been a hotly debated topic in astronomy for decades.

Previously, Pluto was considered the 9th planet in our solar system. However, in 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) issued a statement that Pluto was no longer considered a planet.

The following is an explanation of whether Pluto is a planet or not, summarized by the HiTekno.com team from NASA.

History of Pluto as a Planet

Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Initially, Pluto was considered the 9th planet in our solar system and remained recognized as a planet until 2006.

For decades, Pluto was considered one of the nine primary planets, along with Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

The Pluto Debate

In 1992, many other objects in the Kuiper belt were discovered beyond the orbit of Neptune. These objects are often larger than Pluto, leading many astronomers to question Pluto’s status as a primary planet.

In 2005, a celestial object named Eris was discovered in the Kuiper belt, which is larger than Pluto.

As a result of this discovery, astronomers continue to debate whether or not Pluto should be considered a planet. On August 24, 2006, the IAU finally issued the official definition of a planet, which ruled that Pluto was not a planet because it did not meet the criteria for being a planet.

The IAU stipulates that a planet must meet three criteria: revolve around the Sun, have a spherical shape due to gravity, and empty its orbit from other objects. Pluto only meets the first two criteria, but does not meet the last.

Since then, Pluto has been considered a “dwarf planet” or “dwarf planet”, and not as a major planet in our solar system. Even so, Pluto remains an interesting object for astronomers to study and observe.

Conclusion

Although Pluto has been considered a planet for decades, its status as a planet changed in 2006 when the IAU issued an official definition of a planet.

Currently, Pluto is considered a dwarf planet or a dwarf planet because it does not meet the third criterion to be a major planet. However, discussions and debates regarding Pluto’s status are still ongoing among astronomers and scientists.

That is the explanation of whether Pluto is a planet or not, which has been the subject of debate among astronomers and scientists.