Makemake: A Distant Dwarf
Makemake is a dwarf planet in the outer solar system that is about two-thirds the size of Pluto. It is farther out than Pluto, but closer than Eris. See images (including this artist's rendering) in our gallery of Makemake here. (This slideshow was originally posted in November 2011 and is updated periodically with as new Makemake discoveries warrant).
Makemake Has a Moon!
On April 26, 2016, scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope announced that they'd found a small moon orbiting Makemake. The 100-mile-wide (160 kilometers) satellite is barely visible just above Makemake, almost lost in the glare of the bright dwarf planet. Read the Full Story.
Makemake and Moon: Artist View
Artist's concept of the dwarf planet Makemake and its newfound moon, which has been nicknamed MK 2. Read the Full Story.
Makemake Observed by SPIRE
The dwarf planet Makemake was observed by SPIRE during the science demonstration phase. This very faint and cold object was detected by making a difference image: by taking images 44 hours apart and subtracting the "before" image from the "after" image, the background sky is removed. Makemake, having moved in the intervening time, appears twice in the resulting image: once as a "negative image" and again as a "positive image".
Dwarf Planet Makemake Shadow Path Map
This diagram shows the path of the shadow of the dwarf planet Makemake during an occultation of a faint star in April 2011, which revealed that it lacked an atmosphere. Several sites in South America, including ESO’s La Silla and Paranal Observatories, saw the star disappear briefly as its light was blocked by Makemake.
Dwarf Planets in Our Solar System (Infographic)
Meet the dwarf planets of our solar system, Pluto Eris, Haumea, Makemake and Ceres.
Makemake: Artist's View
An artist's illustration of Makemake, a dwarf planet out beyond the orbit of Neptune that also qualifies as a plutoid.
Artist's Concept of Makemake
An early artist's interpretation of the dwarf planet Makemake beyond Pluto.
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