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Latest Discoveries About Pluto, the Dwarf Planet
Pluto, originally considered the ninth planet, was recently classified as a dwarf planet and is the least massive planet in the solar system.
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A vote that could determine how Pluto is portrayed in future textbooks is set for Thursday at a meeting of the International Astronomical Union in Prague. Exactly what astronomers will be voting on is not known, however.
Two competing proposals were put forth and no resolution reached. What's next?
The effort to define the term "planet" took a fresh twist today as two competing proposals were put forth at a meeting of astronomers in Prague.
New Yorkers are notoriously hard to impress, so it wasn't a surprise that many of them accepted with little fanfare the news that our solar system could soon be welcoming three new planetary members if a new proposal is accepted by astronomers.
The tally of planets in our solar system would jump instantly to a dozen under a highly controversial new definition proposed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
A new "scientific and simple" proposal to define the word "planet" will be released Wednesday and astronomers will vote on it next week. It is not clear whether the definition will settle a long-running debate on the status of Pluto, however.
The International Astronomical Union has officially christened Pluto's two newest satellites Nix and Hydra.
Historians and educators have joined astronomers in an effort to break a deadlock on contentious discussions. Astronomers may be allowed to vote on the proposed definition.
NASA’s New Horizons probe has left the inner planets of the Solar System behind as it streaks toward a rendezvous with Pluto and its moons.
NASA’s New Horizons probe hurtling towards the distant planet Pluto is in working order after a series of instrument checks, the mission’s top scientist said Thursday.
The color of Pluto’s two recently discovered satellites are essentially the same neutral color as Pluto’s large moon, Charon. The finding supports the theory that all three of Pluto’s moons were formed from a single giant impact that took place about 4.6
Alan Stern waited more than 17 years to see NASA launch a science mission to Pluto. He spoke about the development of the mission, his expectations and future plans via telephone and e-mail with Space News staff writer Brad Amburn.
The two new moons discovered around Pluto last year were likely formed from the same giant impact that gave birth to the Planet’s much larger moon, Charon, scientists say.
A spacecraft headed for the Solar System’s edge has aimed itself at the planet Jupiter in a long-distance slingshot on toward Pluto.
The planet-sized object, catalogued as 2003 UB313, is by many accounts a planet. It is round and orbits the Sun. But because several other objects meet those criteria and also approach Pluto's size, astronomers have been wrangling over how to define the w
NASA’s Pluto-bound New Horizons spacecraft now speeding through the Solar System is set to reach Jupiter on Feb. 28, 2007, but it will not be the first craft of its mission to reach the gas giant, mission officials said this week.
NASA’s first probe bound for the planet Pluto and beyond rocketed toward the distant world Thursday after two days of delay due to weather.
The planned launch of NASA’s first probe bound for Pluto has been delayed another day due to an early morning power outage at the spacecraft’s Maryland-based mission control center Wednesday.
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