Eris - Dwarf Planet and Kuiper Belt Object | KidsLearningTube

Eris is a dwarf planet discovered in 2005 by a team led by Michael Brown at the Celtic Observatory. It is the most massive known dwarf planet, with a surface believed to be covered in nitrogen ice. Officially named by the IAU in 2006, Eris is 27% more massive than Pluto but slightly smaller in size. It has one natural satellite named Dysnomia, meaning lawlessness. Eris takes 557 Earth years to orbit the sun, occasionally leaving the Kuiper belt. The average surface temperature is -390 degrees Fahrenheit, making it extremely cold.

Who led the team that discovered Eris?

• Michael Brown

• Clyde Tombaugh

• Percival Lowell

• James Christy

What is believed to cover the surface of Eris?

• Carbon dioxide ice

• Water ice

• Nitrogen ice

• Methane ice

In what year was Eris officially named and classified as a dwarf planet?

• 2007

• 2006

• 2005

• 2008

What is the name of Eris's natural satellite?

• Charon

• Dysnomia

• Nix

• Hydra

How long does it take Eris to complete one orbit around the Sun?

• 248 Earth years

• 557 Earth years

• 1000 Earth years

• 365 Earth years