Makemake is a dwarf planet located in the Kuiper Belt, characterized by its cold surface covered in ices like methane, ethane, and nitrogen, and its reddish-brown color due to tholins. It has one provisional moon, MK 2, and takes over 305 Earth years to orbit the Sun. Makemake was discovered in 2005 by Michael E. Brown, Chad Trujillo, and David Rabinowitz, and was named after a Rapa Nui fertility god.
Key Characteristics
Type: Dwarf planet
Location: Kuiper Belt
Size: Approximately 444 miles (715 kilometers) in radius.
Surface: Covered in methane, ethane, and nitrogen ices, giving it a reddish-brown color.
Orbit: Takes about 305 Earth years to complete one orbit around the Sun.
Rotation: Completes one rotation in about 22.5 hours.
Moons: Has one known moon, provisionally named S/2015 (136472) 1
Makemake's distance from the sun 🌞 ☀️ 🌤 🌅 ♡
Makemake orbits the Sun at an average distance of about 45.8 astronomical units (AU), which is approximately 6.847 billion kilometers (4.253 billion miles). Because its orbit is elliptical, its distance varies, ranging from about 38 AU to 53 AU from the Sun over its approximately 305-year orbit.
Distance Details
Average Distance: 45.8 AU
Approximate Kilometers: 6.847 billion km
Approximate Miles: 4.253 billion miles
Closest Distance (Perihelion): Around 38 AU
Farthest Distance (Aphelion): Around 53 AU
Context
Astronomical Unit (AU):
One AU is the distance from the Sun to Earth.
Location:
Makemake is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, located beyond Neptune's orbit.
Orbit:
Its orbit is elliptical, meaning it's not a perfect circle, which causes its distance from the Sun to change.
Light Travel Time:
At its average distance, it takes about 6 hours and 20 minutes for sunlight to reach Makemake.
What is kuiper Belt????????
The Kuiper Belt is a vast, doughnut-shaped region of icy bodies and small worlds that lies beyond the orbit of Neptune, extending from about 30 to 50 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun. It is a remnant of the early solar system, containing millions of Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) including dwarf planets like Pluto, along with comets and dust. This region is a frontier of space, still being explored by spacecraft, and is thought to be the source of most short-period comets.
Key Characteristics
Location:
Situated in the outer reaches of the solar system, beyond the orbit of the planet Neptune.
Composition:
Primarily made of icy objects, dust, and smaller frozen compounds such as methane and ammonia.
Size:
It's a large structure, with the main region extending from 30 to 50 AU from the Sun.
Shape:
A thick, disk-like region, often compared to a donut.
Significance:
Represents leftover material from the formation of the solar system, and is believed to be a source of short-period comets.
Key Objects and Exploration
Dwarf Planets:
Pluto, Makemake, and Haumea are well-known dwarf planets located in the Kuiper Belt.
NASA's New Horizons:
The first spacecraft to visit an object in the Kuiper Belt was NASA's New Horizons, which flew by Pluto and then the object Arrokoth.
Historical Context
Named after Gerard Kuiper:
The region is named after Dutch-American astronomer Gerard Kuiper, who hypothesized its existence in the 1950s.
Theoretical Basis:
Its existence was supported by observations and dynamic models of comets, and the discovery of KBOs in the late 20th century confirmed the theory.
YOU ARE READING
The story of MAKEMAKE (A DWARF PLANET)
Non-FictionONCE I WAS SCROLLING THEN I LEARNED ABOUT A PLANET CALLED (MAKEMAKE) ITS A PLANET IN MIKLYWAY. ITS MY FIRST TIME WRITING SCIENTIFIC BOOK. ✍ ☺ 😌 🤪 😊 🙂 ✍ ☺ 😌 🤪 😊 🙂 ✍ ☺ 😌 🤪 😊
