Eris
Eris is a confirmed dwarf planet slightly more massive than Pluto. Its discovery directly prompted the 2006 debate over the definition of a planet. It is extremely distant and has no global surface imagery; this restrained visualization is inferred from its high reflectivity and methane-ice spectrum.
Eris Science file
Distant and bright, · it reshaped the definition of a planet
Basic properties
- Distance from the Sun
- Average about 68 AU
- Equatorial diameter
- 约 2,326 km
- Orbital period
- About 557 Earth years
- Rotation period
- About 25.9 hours
- Surface gravity
- About 8.4% of Earth's
- Typical temperature
- About −243 to −217°C
- Atmosphere
- May be frozen onto the surface
- Moon system
- 1 · Dysnomia
Highlights
Catalyst for the dwarf-planet category
Once called the “tenth planet,” Eris forced astronomers to define “planet” more precisely.
Possibly coated in methane frost
Its very high reflectivity and near-infrared spectrum suggest a bright coating of fresh methane ice or frost.
No global map yet
Eris remains a tiny point in telescopes; the page texture is a scientific illustration based on its color and spectrum.