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How can we even know it's a planet when we haven't observed a single orbit, yet?
Maybe it's just a really big comet.16 1 ReplyWe've observed enough of its orbit to know what shape it is.
19 0 ReplyHow can you be so sure it doesn't just decide to leave
14 1 ReplyAnd who could blame it?
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It's not really big. There are multiple Pluto like planetoids. Also there is a hunk of rock in the asteroid belt youcould name a planet.
5 0 ReplyCeres is more than a third of the mass of the asteroid belt. It's at least an order of magnitude bigger than anything else in its orbit. It's hardly a hunk of rock
2 0 ReplyThere's also not that much rock, only 73% of the mass. The rest is ice and mud, with half it's volume being water in some form.
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By measuring how fast it's moving and where it is you can find the orbit
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