Makemake declares as a Dwarf Planet

by **unknownquinones** on Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:19 am

Source: http://science.slashdot.org/firehose.pl?id=769787&op=view

Submitted by Kligat on Sunday July 13, @09:34PM
The Kuiper belt object formerly known as (136472) 2005 FY9 has been rechristened Makemake and classified as a dwarf planet and plutoid by the International Astronomical Union, according to the United States Geological Survey. The reclassification occurs just a month after the latter category was created.

The object was referred to by the team of discoverers by the codename Easterbunny, and the name Makemake comes from the creation deity of Easter Island, in accordance with IAU rules on naming Kuiper belt objects.
http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/append7.html#DwarfPlanets

Source: http://orbiter-forum.com/showpost.php?p=31125&postcount=1
This is a configuration file of Makemake in Orbiter. Copy this code below and save the config file.

Code:: ; === Configuration file for Makemake (2005 FY9) === Name = Makemake EllipticOrbit = TRUE HasElements = TRUE ; === Planetary Mean Orbits === Epoch = 2008 SemiMajorAxis = 6810258667220.45 Eccentricity = .158734458661152 Inclination = .506108195277928 LongAscNode = 1.38935011797051 LongPerihelion = 6.54469081510454 MeanLongitude = 9.16824299475249 ; === Physical Parameters === Mass = 4e21 ; kg Size = 750e3 ; km (+200/-100) AlbedoRGB = 0.8 0.8 0.8 ; wild guess ; === Rotation Elements === SidRotPeriod = 43200 ; sec SidRotOffset = 0 ; unknown Obliquity = 0.535467015 ; rad LAN = 0 ; unknown ; === Visualisation Parameters === MaxPatchResolution = 6