Question
Dwarf Planets
Explain why Pluto was demoted to the status of a dwarf planet.
IC
18 15
Answer
Pluto was demoted to the status of a dwarf planet because it did not meet the three criteria set by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) for a planet: it has not cleared its orbit of other debris, it is not the dominant gravitational force in its orbit, and it is not large enough to have a spherical shape.