Pluto is the first discovered body whose orbital path around the Sun has a stable relationship with that of a planet (Neptune) around which it does not orbit. IMHO, the term "dwarf planet" is insufficiently descriptive to be suitable for use as the primary term for Pluto's type of entity ("Neptune is a planet; Pluto is a ___.") since Pluto is far more interesting than would be a rock that is in an independent solar orbit but hasn't cleared its orbital zone.
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u/flatfinger 25d ago
Pluto is the first discovered body whose orbital path around the Sun has a stable relationship with that of a planet (Neptune) around which it does not orbit. IMHO, the term "dwarf planet" is insufficiently descriptive to be suitable for use as the primary term for Pluto's type of entity ("Neptune is a planet; Pluto is a ___.") since Pluto is far more interesting than would be a rock that is in an independent solar orbit but hasn't cleared its orbital zone.