Kääbusplaneetideks

Kääbusplaneetideks, commonly translated as dwarf planets, are celestial bodies that orbit the Sun. They are distinguished from planets by a key criterion: they have not cleared their orbital neighborhood of other objects. This means that a dwarf planet shares its orbital path with other celestial bodies of comparable size. In all other respects, however, they are similar to planets. They are massive enough for their own gravity to pull them into a roughly spherical shape, a state known as hydrostatic equilibrium.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) established the definition of a dwarf planet in 2006. Prior to this, bodies like Pluto were classified as planets. The reclassification of Pluto to dwarf planet status was a significant event in astronomy and sparked considerable public interest. Other celestial bodies recognized as dwarf planets include Ceres, located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and Eris, Makemake, and Haumea, all found in the outer solar system beyond Neptune.

The discovery of more and more objects in the outer solar system, many of which approached the size of Pluto, necessitated the creation of a new category. Dwarf planets represent a fascinating group of celestial bodies that bridge the gap between planets and smaller solar system objects like asteroids and comets. Ongoing research continues to reveal more about these distant worlds and their formation.

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