New Dwarf Planet Subclass
On June 11, 2008, the IAU announced that the sub-category of dwarf planets with trans-Neptunian orbits would be known as "plutoids". In an accompanying press release, the IAU said that:
| “ | Plutoids are celestial bodies in orbit around the Sun at a distance greater than that of Neptune that have sufficient mass for their self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that they assume a hydrostatic equilibrium (near-spherical) shape, and that have not cleared the neighbourhood around their orbit. | ” |
This sub-category includes Pluto, Haumea, Makemake and Eris.
Read more about this topic: IAU Definition Of Planet
Famous quotes containing the words dwarf and/or planet:
“A dwarf who brings a standard along with him to measure his own size—take my word, is a dwarf in more articles than one.”
—Laurence Sterne (1713–1768)
“Why should I feel lonely? is not our planet in the Milky Way?”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)