What are the distinguishing features of the planet Haumea?

Haumea is a dwarf planet in our solar system, located beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is one of the five officially recognized dwarf planets, and is known for its unique shape and features. One of the most distinguishing features of Haumea is its elongated shape - it is the most elongated object in the solar system, with an axis ratio of approximately 2:1. This shape is thought to be the result of a high-velocity collision with another object in the distant past.

Haumea is also notable for its rapid rotation, completing one rotation on its axis every 3.9 hours. This is one of the shortest rotation periods of any object in the solar system. Additionally, Haumea has a thin, ring-like structure around its equator, which is likely composed of debris left over from the collision that formed its elongated shape.

Haumea is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, located in the outer Solar System. It was discovered in 2004 and is the third-largest known dwarf planet in the Solar System. Haumea is a very unusual object, with a very elongated shape and a fast rotation period. It is also one of the few dwarf planets that has rings.

Haumea's distinguishing features include:

• Its elongated shape. Haumea is one of the most elongated objects in the Solar System. It is about 2,300 kilometers long, but only about 1,000 kilometers wide. This elongated shape is thought to be due to a collision that Haumea experienced early in its history.
• Its fast rotation period. Haumea rotates once every 4 hours. This is very fast, even for a small object like Haumea. The fast rotation is thought to be due to the same collision that elongated Haumea's shape.
• Its rings. Haumea is the first dwarf planet to be discovered with rings. The rings are very faint and are only visible in infrared light. They are thought to be made of dust and ice.
• Its surface. Haumea's surface is very bright and has a high albedo. This means that it reflects a lot of light. The surface is also very smooth, with few craters. This is thought to be due to the fact that Haumea is very young, and its surface has not had time to be eroded by impacts.
• Its moons. Haumea has two moons, Namaka and Hi'iaka. Namaka is the inner moon and is about 170 kilometers in diameter. Hi'iaka is the outer moon and is about 310 kilometers in diameter. Both moons are thought to have formed from the debris left over from the collision that elongated Haumea's shape.

Haumea is a very interesting object and is still being studied by astronomers. It is a valuable source of information about the formation and evolution of the Solar System.