What planet makes one revolution around the sun in 248 years?

Pluto, once considered the ninth planet in the solar system, is now classified as a dwarf planet. It completes one revolution around the Sun in 248 years. Discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, Pluto has long been an object of fascination for astronomers and the public alike.

Pluto orbits the Sun on a highly elliptical trajectory, meaning that its distance from the Sun varies considerably over the course of its orbit. Its orbital period, i.e. the time it takes to complete one revolution around the Sun, is 248 Earth years. This means that a year on Pluto lasts almost two and a half centuries.

Pluto’s orbit is also inclined to the plane of the ecliptic, the average orbit of the planets in the solar system. The inclination is 17 degrees, which is quite unusual compared to other planets. What’s more, its orbit is highly eccentric, meaning that at certain times, Pluto is closer to the Sun than Neptune.

Pluto is relatively small, with a diameter of 2,377 kilometers, making it about two-thirds smaller than our Moon. It is composed mainly of ice and rock. Pluto’s surface is covered with frozen methane, nitrogen and carbon monoxide, giving the planet a varied and complex appearance.

In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined the classification of planets, resulting in Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet. This decision was based on the fact that Pluto had not cleared its orbit of other objects, one of the conditions for being considered a planet under the IAU definition.

Pluto is also the largest known member of the Kuiper Belt, a region of the solar system beyond Neptune populated by numerous small icy bodies. The discovery of numerous other Pluto-sized objects in this region contributed to the decision to reclassify Pluto.

In 2015, NASA’s New Horizons probe flew over Pluto, offering the first close-up images of the dwarf planet’s surface. The mission revealed surprising geological features, including ice mountains, nitrogen ice plains and signs of recent geological activity.

Pluto has a tenuous atmosphere composed mainly of nitrogen, with traces of methane and carbon monoxide. This atmosphere is in dynamic equilibrium with Pluto’s surface, condensing and sublimating as it orbits.

The discovery and study of Pluto have played a crucial role in our understanding of the outer solar system. They have also prompted the scientific community to redefine the notion of a planet.

Pluto remains an emblematic figure in popular culture and arouses great interest. Its reclassification has been the subject of debate and discussion, illustrating the evolution of science and our understanding of the universe.

Pluto, which completes one revolution around the Sun in 248 years, remains a fascinating enigma for astronomers. Its reclassification as a dwarf planet has only heightened interest in this distant and mysterious object. Ongoing discoveries about Pluto and the Kuiper Belt will continue to enrich our understanding of the solar system and its many wonders.