dwarf planet
English
Noun
dwarf planet (plural dwarf planets)
- (astronomy) Any astronomical body which has achieved hydrostatic equilibrium (which is the shape a body of water would take, as opposed to a small Solar System body), orbits the Sun (as opposed to a moon), and has not “cleared its neighbourhood” of competing bodies (as opposed to a planet).
- Synonyms: planetoid, quasi-planet, sub-planet
- Hypernyms: minor planet, planet, planetary-mass object
- Hyponyms: ice dwarf, plutoid
Related terms
Translations
a type of celestial body
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See also
- (most likely dwarf planets of the Solar System) Ceres, Orcus, Pluto, Haumea, Quaoar, Makemake, Gonggong, Eris, Sedna
- planetesimal
Further reading
- dwarf planet on Wikipedia.Wikipedia