Pluto is a dwarf planet
NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute
While a mathematical formula for determining whether a space object should be classified as a planet could make it easier to identify objects around other stars, it’s bad news for anyone hoping that Pluto will regain planetary status.
In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) infamously downgraded Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet in a controversial decision, leaving the solar system with eight planets. The IAU cited Pluto’s failure to clear out other debris in its orbit as a key factor in the decision…
