Eris
The most massive dwarf planet is the reason why all the trouble started over Pluto's status. Eris's diameter was estimated to be 2397 km or 2600 km because it reflected so much light, despite being so far away. More recent estimates put it at 2326 km.
Eris Stats
Average Distance from Sun: 10 139.85 million km
Perihelion: 5671.3 million km Aphelion: 14 608.4 million km Mass: 0.0028 times Earth Diameter: 2326 km Volume: 0.0061 times Earth Gravity: 0.07 times Earth (0.66 N/kg) Temperature: -240 C Rotation: 25.9 hours Revolution: 203 830 Earth days Moons: 1 Type: Dwarf planet Namesake: Eris was the Greek embodiment of strife and discord. |
Eris Facts
- ERIS IS NAMED AFTER THE GODDESS OF DISCORD, because of the conflict this object raised over Pluto's status. Eris's moon Dysnomia is named after the goddess of lawlessness, and is between 350 and 590 km in diameter.
- ERIS'S ORBIT CROSSES PLUTO. It reaches to a minimum of 5669.8 million km from the Sun, which is closer than Pluto's farthest point form the Sun of 4436.82 million km. However, this isn't close enough to be affected by Neptune's gravity.
- ERIS HAD AT LEAST THREE PREVIOUS NICKNAMES: Xena, Lila and Persephone (the wife of Hades/Pluto; her Roman form is Proserpine).
- ERIS'S VOLUME IS MORE THAN THE TOTAL VOLUME OF THE ASTEROIDS IN THE ASTEROID BELT. Eris's volume is 1/3 of the Moon (and 2/3 of its diameter, which is 3472 km at the poles and 3476.2 km at the equator)