Guide to Dwarf Planets: Ceres, Pluto, Eris, Haumea and Makemake for Kids - FreeSchool

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Ancient astronomers identified planets, later joined by Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union established criteria for dwarf planets, with Ceres, Pluto, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake being recognized.

Insights

  • The International Astronomical Union established the category of dwarf planets in 2006, with specific guidelines for classification, leading to the recognition of five dwarf planets in our Solar System.
  • Ceres, the first discovered dwarf planet with a diameter of 590 miles, and Pluto, the most famous one, were both visited by spacecraft, providing valuable data and insights about these celestial bodies.

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Recent questions

  • How many planets did ancient astronomers identify?

    Eight

  • What are the criteria for a dwarf planet?

    Specific qualifications

  • How many recognized dwarf planets are there currently?

    Five

  • When was Ceres discovered?

    1801

  • What spacecraft visited Pluto in 2015?

    New Horizons

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Summary

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"Exploring Dwarf Planets in Our Solar System"

  • Ancient astronomers identified five planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, which were later joined by Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.
  • In 2006, the International Astronomical Union created a new category called dwarf planets, with specific criteria for qualification.
  • Currently, there are five recognized dwarf planets in the Solar System: Ceres, Pluto, Eris, Haumea, and Makemake.
  • Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt, was the first dwarf planet discovered in 1801 and has a diameter of 590 miles.
  • Pluto, the largest and most famous dwarf planet, was visited by the New Horizons spacecraft in 2015, revealing new insights about this distant world.
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