Question
GeneralGeneralGeneral

What is Pluto called now?

Verified Answer

Pluto is now classified as a dwarf planet.

In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined what qualifies as a planet. According to this definition, a celestial body must:

  1. Orbit the Sun
  2. Be spherical in shape
  3. Have cleared its orbit of other objects

Pluto meets the first two conditions but fails the third, as it shares its orbital region with objects in the Kuiper Belt, a distant zone filled with icy bodies.

Because of this, Pluto was reclassified from the ninth planet to a dwarf planet, along with objects like Eris and Haumea.

Important clarification: Pluto still orbits the Sun and has moons, but it does not dominate its orbit like the eight major planets.