So Where's Pluto in our Universe Now

Greetings to my favorite science community for all things physics, Mes Science.

It's @skyehi and I'm happy to have the opportunity to share another awesome blog post about our universe and all its wonders.

Well today's blog post is almost like the famous cartoon "Finding Nemo", we're going to discuss one of the strangest science news ever, the missing ninth planet, Pluto.

Original Image Source by TheSpaceway from Pixabay

---

Now I'm pretty sure you learned in your junior science class that we have nine planets orbiting the sun. Well some years ago there was this news about Pluto going missing. In our blog post today we're going to discuss the details of that historic event.

In the super vast realm of the cosmos, Pluto, which was once celebrated and recognized as the ninth planet in our solar system, has undergone a really profound transformation in its classification and our understanding of its cosmic role.

Let's discuss the entire event briefly.

Pluto's Big Shift

Now the main question is this; Did Pluto go missing as we thought? Well the real answer is "No" . Pluto did not exactly go missing like your favorite childhood toy did.

In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) actually decided to change the rules for classifying planets. This is what resulted in the whole change of considering Pluto as a normal planet.

Pluto got booted out of the list of what we recognize as planets. Pluto got rebranded as a "dwarf planet."

Now this new move stirred up a whole lot of debate in the world of science and physics, but this is really all part of how our knowledge of science keeps evolving.

So What Really Makes Pluto Special

Pluto isn't exactly your usual celestial body.

To understand what Pluto really is, picture this ; a tiny, frozen world hanging out in the Kuiper Belt, which is almost like the suburbs of our solar system beyond Neptune's region.

Even compared to our little moon Pluto is still tiny, with an approximate diameter of about 1,474 miles or 2,376 kilometers.

It's so chilly on Pluto that temperatures drop to as low as -375°F or -225°C. Pluto's atmosphere is really thin and is mainly made up of nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide. A combination of these elements is definitely going to be colder than your fridge.

NASA's New Horizons Spacecraft

Now we all know one of the world's best space exploration companies, NASA has some pretty advanced spacecraft for space explorations.

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft went on a mission of a lifetime. Somewhere 2015, the spacecraft pulled off an epic flyby of Pluto, giving us more detailed information about this distant world.

New Horizons was able to capture some really breathtaking shots of Pluto's landscapes, including vast plains, super towering mountains, and that popular heart-shaped area they named the "Tombaugh Regio" which was from the name of the guy who discovered Pluto; Clyde Tombaugh.

Pluto's position in the Kuiper Belt

Pluto's current position is in the Kuiper Belt, which is more like a hangout spot for a bunch of other dwarf planets, huge icy chunks, and cosmic objects.

It's basically like a galactic treasure chest full of great hints about how our solar system got its start after the Big Bang event.

Pluto's place here is kind of like being part of an exclusive club of celestial wonders. So it's definitely not considered a full planet in our solar system hence the elimination from the planets of our solar system. So it didn't go missing, it got rebranded as a dwarf planet.

Why We're Still Hooked on Pluto

Now although the dwarf planet Pluto had lost its status as a full-fledged planet in our solar system, we still ponder over Pluto.

The shots taken by New Horizon spacecraft showed us that even in the very distant and icy Kuiper Belt, Pluto is anything but boring and ordinary.

It's a dynamic, active world, and it reminds us that there's a whole lot more to explore out there in our super vast and seemingly eternal universe.

So to draw the conclusion on this brief blog post, I'll answer the question where is Pluto now ?

The simple answer is; it still exists as it was before but the difference is our recognition of what it is. Pluto has had a whole makeover from the ninth planet in our solar system to one of the dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt.

The story of Pluto shows us the mysteries of the universe and the need to keep upgrading and learning to know the real facts of our eternal universe.

---

I'll end it right here by saying thank you for taking the time to read today's post. I hope you enjoyed the blog topic and found it informative.

As always my blogs are open for questions or any comment you may have regarding the blog topic. I'll be glad to respond to them.

Have a lovely science day and catch you next time on Mes Science. Goodbye ❤️

You Can Follow Me @skyehi For More Like This And Others