Page 198 - DK Children's Encyclopedia

Pluto SEE ALSO

▸ ▸ Earth’s surface
p.84

Pluto is a dwarf planet that travels around the sun at ▸ ▸ Glaciers p.122
the edge of our solar system, beyond Neptune. It has ▸ ▸ Moon p.171
one giant moon called Charon, and four small moons. ▸ ▸ Neptune p.183

▸ ▸ Solar system
p.233

Pluto’s surface ▸ ▸ Volcanoes p.268
is covered
with ice.

Ex-planet
Pluto used to be considered the
ninth planet in our solar system.
When other similar small
“planets” were discovered,
astronomers downgraded
Pluto to a dwarf planet.

Ice volcanoes
Pluto may have cryovolcanoes—
volcanoes that erupt an icy
slush of water and gases.

A feature known as
Pluto Wright Mons is thought
to be a cryovolcano.
Dwarf planets
Dwarf planets are similar to planets
but smaller, which means they share
their path around the sun with Moon
other objects, such as asteroids
Pluto’s orbit and comets.
Pluto travels around the sun at a different Pluto’s
orbit
angle to the planets. Its orbit is shaped like
an elongated circle. It takes Pluto 248
Earth years to circle the sun. Ceres Makemake Huamea Pluto Eris

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