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Is "Pluto" a planet?

In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined the criteria for what constitutes a planet, and Pluto did not meet all the specified criteria. According to the IAU definition:

  1. 1) A planet must orbit the Sun.
  2. 2) A planet must be spherical in shape.
  3. 3) A planet must have cleared its orbit of other debris.

Pluto meets the first two criteria but does not satisfy the third one. Its orbit in the Kuiper Belt is not entirely cleared of other objects.

Therefore, Pluto is categorized as a "dwarf planet" along with other similar celestial bodies in the solar system. While it is not considered one of the main planets, Pluto continues to be of great interest to astronomers and planetary scientists. Research missions, such as NASA's New Horizons, have provided valuable information about Pluto and its moons, enhancing our understanding of this distant world.

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