Space and Astronomy Atlas

How The Universe Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Browse By

By Decade

This dimension groups celestial objects by the broad era in which they were discovered, from objects known since antiquity to those found by modern surveys. Wikipedia notes that astronomical catalogues are "increasingly often compiled by computers from an automated survey," a method that has sharply accelerated discovery in recent decades. Browsing by discovery era lets a visitor compare objects found using similar tools and methods.

Facts
Comparison
Field Origin Era
2006 1
Discovery Era
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Planet
Wikimedia FoundationPlanet, lead section, IAU definition sentence
Quote, Planet, lead section, IAU definition sentence
In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) adopted a definition of a planet in the Solar System, placing the four terrestrial planets and the four giant planets in the planet category; Ceres, Pluto, and Eris are in the category of dwarf planet.
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.