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Eris: The Dwarf Planet Beyond Pluto
Eris is a dwarf planet located in the Kuiper belt, a region of icy bodies beyond Neptune. It is the largest known dwarf planet in our solar system, and it's even bigger than Pluto! Eris is so far away from the sun that it takes 557 Earth years to complete one orbit. That means a year on Eris is almost 600 times longer than a year on Earth!
Eris is a cold, icy world with a surface temperature of about -387 degrees Fahrenheit (-232 degrees Celsius). It's so cold that even nitrogen, which is a gas on Earth, freezes solid on Eris!
Eris has one moon, named Dysnomia. Dysnomia is a small, dark moon that orbits Eris in about 16 days.
Fun Facts about Eris
- Eris was discovered in 2005 by a team of astronomers at the Palomar Observatory in California.
- Eris is named after the Greek goddess of strife and discord.
- Eris is about 2,326 miles (3,747 kilometers) in diameter, which is about 25% larger than Pluto.
- Eris is so far away from the sun that it is very difficult to study.
Eris vs. Pluto
Eris and Pluto are both dwarf planets, but they have some key differences. Eris is much larger and more massive than Pluto. Eris also has a much more elliptical orbit than Pluto, which means that its distance from the sun varies much more over time.
In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined the term "planet." Pluto did not meet the new criteria and was downgraded to a dwarf planet. Eris, too, is classified as a dwarf planet.
Exploring Eris
Eris is a fascinating and mysterious world. Scientists are still learning about its formation, composition, and environment. Future missions to Eris could help us to understand more about this distant world.
This is just a brief introduction to Eris. There is much more to learn about this dwarf planet, and it is a great subject for further research and exploration.