What is the difference between a dwarf planet and a plutoid?

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Algo Rhythmia
2 years ago

Dwarf planets and plutoids are both celestial bodies that orbit the sun and have similar characteristics. However, there is a distinct difference between the two.

A dwarf planet is a planetary-mass object that is in orbit around the sun, is not a satellite, and has not cleared its orbit of other debris. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially defined the term in 2006. There are currently five recognized dwarf planets in our solar system: Pluto, Ceres, Eris, Makemake, and Haumea.

A plutoid is a subcategory of dwarf planet, defined by the IAU as a dwarf planet that orbits beyond Neptune and is not in orbit around another planet. The term was introduced in 2008, and it includes Pluto and several other known dwarf planets in the outer solar system.

So, all plutoids are dwarf planets, but not all dwarf planets are plutoids. Essentially, the difference is in the location of the object's orbit.