G4-SEC-L28-01-28-2023 Let's Discover Pluto

Hello, fourth-grade explorers! Today, let's journey to the outer reaches of our solar system and unravel the mysteries of a small and distant world - Pluto. Pluto - The Dwarf Planet: Pluto, once considered the ninth planet, is now classified as a dwarf planet. Discovered in 1930 by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, Pluto resides in the Kuiper Belt, a region beyond Neptune where icy bodies and dwarf planets orbit the Sun. Characteristics of Pluto: Pluto is a small and icy world with a diameter smaller than many moons in our solar system. It has a unique orbit that sometimes brings it closer to the Sun than Neptune, and at other times, it ventures farther away. Despite its diminutive size, Pluto has a heart-shaped region known as Tombaugh Regio, captured in images by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft. Controversy and Reclassification: In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined the criteria for classifying planets. Pluto no longer met these criteria and was reclassified as a dwarf planet. While it may not be one of the traditional planets, Pluto remains a captivating object of study for astronomers.