For decades, astronomers have debated over the status of two celestial bodies in our solar system—Mars and Pluto.
While Mars is classified as a planet, Pluto has been relegated to a dwarf planet. In this article, we’ll explore why there is such a debate and how astronomers are coming to a consensus on how to best classify these two mysterious cosmic objects.
The Debate Over Mars and Pluto
At first glance, it may seem like an easy decision—Mars is a planet and Pluto isn’t. However, the debate over whether or not Pluto should be considered a planet has been raging for years due to its size and location in relation to the other planets.
On one side of the debate are those who argue that since Mercury and Venus are both much closer in size to Earth than they are to Jupiter or Saturn, then it stands to reason that Pluto should also be considered a planet since it is much closer in size to Neptune than it is to Earth.
On the other side of the debate are those who argue that because of its small size and highly elliptical orbit, Pluto should not be considered a planet at all.
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) was created in 1919 with the purpose of helping define what constitutes a planet within our Solar System.
After extensive research and deliberation, they decided that any celestial body must meet three criteria in order to qualify as a planet: (1) it must be in orbit around the Sun; (2) it must have enough mass for its own gravity; and (3) it must have cleared its orbital path around the Sun by sweeping away any other objects in its path.
By this definition, Mars qualifies as a true planet while Pluto does not since its highly elliptical orbit causes it to cross paths with both Neptune and other asteroids from time to time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there will always be disagreement about whether or not Pluto should be classified as a true planet within our Solar System or just another heavenly body orbiting far away from us here on Earth.
Ultimately though, we can look at this debate as evidence of just how mysterious our Universe really is—and how much more there still is left for us to learn!
The IAU continues its important work today so hopefully, we can come closer to reaching an agreement on this issue soon!
