Several dozens more are being considered for the category, and scientists estimate that hundreds or even thousands of dwarf planets may exist in the solar system.
Each known dwarf planet in our solar system is actually smaller than Earth's Moon! Dwarf planets in our solar systemĪs the authority on the naming and classification of celestial objects, the International Astronomical Union officially recognizes five dwarf planets in the solar system: Because they are smaller, dwarf planets lack the gravitational forces needed to pull in and accumulate all of the material found in their orbits. What are dwarf planets?ĭwarf planets are celestial objects that: Dwarf planets share particular characteristics that have traditionally made them a bit harder to classify.
The universe contains unique objects that don't always fit into neat categories like stars, planets and galaxies.
