Pluto Demoted: The 2006 IAU Decision That Redefined a Planet
TL;DR Summary
On August 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union voted that Pluto had not cleared its orbit and thus was no longer a planet, reclassifying it as a dwarf planet. The decision sparked ongoing controversy among scientists who argued the new definition was too strict or arbitrary, but Pluto remains a prominent outer-solar-system dwarf planet alongside others.
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- Once the Solar System's Ninth Planet, Pluto Was Reclassified 20 Years Ago. Here's Why Planetary Scientists and the Public Alike Love the Small, Icy Body Smithsonian Magazine
- Pluto Got Demoted 20 Years Ago. We’re Still Not Sure What a Planet Really Is. National Geographic
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