What are the distinguishing features of the planet Makemake?
Makemake is one of the five officially recognized dwarf planets in the Solar System. It was discovered in 2005 by a team led by Michael E. Brown and is named after the creator god of the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island. Located beyond Neptune in the Kuiper Belt, Makemake is about two-thirds the size of Pluto and has a surface covered in methane, ethane, and nitrogen ices, giving it a bright, white appearance. Its atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen.
Makemake's most distinguishing feature is its lack of atmosphere. Unlike Pluto, which has a thin atmosphere composed mainly of nitrogen and methane, Makemake's atmosphere is essentially non-existent. This makes it an ideal target for studying the Kuiper Belt and the early history of the Solar System.
Makemake also has a particularly elongated orbit, which takes it out to a distance of nearly 53 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun at aphelion, and as close as 38.5 AU at perihelion. It has no known moons or ring system.
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