Kääpiöplaneettaa

Kääpiöplaneettaa is the Finnish word for dwarf planet. A dwarf planet is a celestial body that orbits the Sun, is massive enough for its gravity to pull it into a nearly round shape, but has not cleared its orbital neighborhood of other objects. This last criterion is what distinguishes dwarf planets from planets.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) established the definition of a dwarf planet in 2006. There are currently five officially recognized dwarf planets: Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris. Ceres is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Pluto, formerly considered the ninth planet, is now classified as a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt. Haumea, Makemake, and Eris are also located in the outer Solar System, beyond Neptune, in regions known as the Kuiper Belt and the scattered disk.

These objects are significant because their study helps astronomers understand the formation and evolution of the Solar System, particularly the outer regions. The discovery and classification of dwarf planets have also raised public awareness about the vastness and diversity of celestial bodies in our solar system. Scientists anticipate that more dwarf planets may be discovered as astronomical observation technology improves.