Our Solar System

What is a Planet? definition for a planet is now officially known as a celestial body that (as of 2006) (a)is in orbit around the Sun (b)has enough mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a nearly round shape (c)has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit

Dwarf Planet is a celestial body that (a)is in orbit around the Sun (b)has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a nearly round shape (c)has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit (d)is not a satellite.

Plutoid Same as a dwarf planet but… must orbit farther away than Neptune Named after Pluto –2005 demoted to a dwarf planet –2008 remained as a plutoid –Because its orbit crosses that of Neptune’s Pluto's story... in a nutshell!

Exoplanets Same as a planet but is outside of our solar system Extrasolar Orbits around another star (like our Sun) Taken by Hubble Space Telescope

Space Technology Hubble Space Telescope –Launched in April 1990 Spitzer Space Telescope –Launched summer 2003

Space Tech Cont’… CoRot French Telescope –Launched December 2006 Kepler Space Telescope/Mission –March 2009

New discoveries! April 2010 Newest exoplanet to be discovered! Cool as Jupiter- Science News Article