Hey there! Have you ever wondered if Pluto is a planet? It’s a really interesting question! A long time ago, people thought there were nine planets in our solar system, and Pluto was the smallest and farthest one. But then, scientists who study space, called astronomers, started saying that maybe Pluto shouldn’t be on the list of planets anymore. This meant that instead of nine planets, there would only be eight. Some people were confused and even a little upset about this change, especially those who learned about Pluto as a planet when they were kids. So, why did scientists decide this? Let’s find out!
Pluto has always been a bit of a mystery. It was discovered in 1930, and unlike other planets, which we can see through telescopes, Pluto just looks like a tiny dot of light. Because of this, we had lots of questions about it. What does Pluto look like up close? Does it have rings or moons? We knew it was very far from the Sun, so it must be super cold, maybe the coldest place in our solar system. Also, Pluto moves very slowly around the Sun. It takes 248 years to complete one orbit, which means if you lived on Pluto, you’d have a birthday only once every 248 years!
In the 1990s, scientists used the Hubble Space Telescope to look at Pluto. They got some clues about what it might look like, but the pictures were still blurry. Then, in 2006, NASA sent a spacecraft called New Horizons to Pluto. It traveled super fast, almost 36,000 miles an hour, and after nearly ten years, it reached Pluto in 2015. This was super exciting because we finally got to see clear pictures of Pluto. We discovered that Pluto has dark markings, craters, mountains, and big smooth areas of light orange ice. One smooth area even looks like a heart!
Now, you might understand why some people feel sad about Pluto not being called a planet anymore. It feels like part of our solar system family. But why do some scientists say Pluto shouldn’t be a planet? Well, Pluto is still a planet, but it’s called a “minor planet.” It’s one of many smaller rocky objects in space. It might not be a major planet like Earth or Jupiter, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be curious about it!
Thanks for exploring this mystery with me! There are so many more questions to discover. For example, why do zippers make noise? Do any flowers grow during the winter? Or, how is plastic made? Keep asking questions and stay curious. There’s a whole universe of mysteries out there waiting for you!
Planetary Model Craft: Create a simple model of the solar system using craft materials like clay or playdough. Make sure to include Pluto and label it as a “minor planet.” Discuss with your classmates or family why Pluto is different from the other planets. What makes it unique?
Orbit Observation: Go outside on a clear night with a parent or guardian and try to spot some planets or stars. Use a simple star chart or a stargazing app to identify them. Think about how far away Pluto is and how it takes 248 years to orbit the Sun. Imagine what it would be like to have a birthday on Pluto!
Research and Report: Choose another “minor planet” or dwarf planet like Eris or Ceres. Use books or child-friendly websites to find out more about it. Create a short report or drawing to share with your class or family. How is it similar to or different from Pluto?
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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(ringing) – Hi Doug. – Hi Nayeli. – I have a question for you. Is Pluto a planet? – Ooh, that’s an interesting question. When I was growing up, we always learned that there were nine planets in our solar system, with tiny Pluto being the smallest and farthest away at the edge of our solar system. But then, scientists who study space and planets, known as astronomers, started suggesting that Pluto should be removed from the list of planets. This means kids in school would no longer learn about nine planets, but instead eight. Many people were confused and even upset about this decision, especially adults who grew up learning about Pluto. How could scientists want to remove Pluto from the list of planets? Scientists had reasons for this, which I’ll explain later in the video.
Before that, it might be interesting to know why people care so much about Pluto. Pluto has always been one of the most mysterious and difficult planets for us to learn about, starting from when it was first discovered in 1930. Unlike the other planets, which can be seen through a telescope, Pluto appears as a tiny dot of light. Because we can barely see Pluto, we had many questions about it. What does Pluto look like up close? Does it have rings like some other planets? Does it have any moons? At the time, nobody knew. We could guess that being so far from the Sun, Pluto must be extremely cold, possibly the coldest place in the solar system. We also knew that Pluto moves very slowly in its orbit around the Sun. It takes 248 years for Pluto to complete one trip around the Sun, which means if you lived on Pluto, your birthday would only happen once every 248 years.
In the 1990s, scientists developed the Hubble Space Telescope and pointed it at Pluto. This was what they saw. It was exciting to finally get some clues about what Pluto might look like, but the image was still quite blurry. Everything changed in 2006 when NASA launched the New Horizons spacecraft, which carried a remote-control camera to travel all the way to Pluto. The spacecraft flew at speeds of nearly 36,000 miles an hour for almost ten years. Finally, in the summer of 2015, it arrived at Pluto, allowing us to see the first close-up pictures of this mysterious world. We discovered that Pluto’s surface is covered with dark markings, craters, mountains, and large smooth areas of light orange-colored ice. One of these smooth areas became nicknamed “The Heart,” and some people even imagined the Disney character Pluto in its outline.
Now, hopefully, you understand why some people are upset about the idea of Pluto being removed from the list of planets. Pluto feels like a part of our family of planets. Should we consider it a planet or not? Before I continue, why do you think some scientists say Pluto shouldn’t be considered a planet? What do you think? Now would be a good time to pause the video and discuss.
Okay, you’re ready? The short answer is that Pluto is a planet, but it’s classified as a minor planet, one of the many smaller rocky objects in our solar system. It may not be a major planet like Jupiter, Earth, or Saturn, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk about Pluto or be interested in it. If you’re wondering why we don’t consider Pluto one of the major planets, there’s a great story about that, but it’s a story for another day. I’m working on a video about it right now and will share it on mysterydoug.com when it’s ready.
That’s all for this week’s question. Thanks, Nayeli, for asking it. For the next episode, I reached into my question jar and picked out three questions submitted to me that I’m considering answering. When this video is done playing, you’ll get to vote on one. You can choose from: Why do zippers make noise? Do any flowers grow during the winter? Or, how is plastic made? So submit your vote when the video’s over. I want to hear from all of you watching. There are mysteries all around us. Stay curious, and see you next week.
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