Can a planet be irregular?

Though not perfect spheres, bulging planets are symmetrical around the axis running through the poles. So you could argue that they’re not really irregular. Other bodies like asteroids and comets can be highly irregular. With a diameter of nearly 1,000km (621 miles), it’s considered a small planet.

Which planet has an irregular shape?

The models emphasize the highly irregular shapes caused by a history of impacts by fragments of small asteroids and comets. Jupiter’s strong gravitational pull on these objects at relatively close distances accelerates the objects to very high velocities, making such impacts very energetic.

Are there planets that are not spheres?

None of the planets are perfect spheres. They are all slightly distorted due to things like rotation, tidal forces, and surface features like mountains or impact craters. The planet which is least spherical is Saturn, whose diameter at the equator is 11,808 km wider than its diameter from pole to pole.

Why is Earth not considered a planet?

Earth was not considered a planet, but rather was thought to be the central object around which all the other celestial objects orbited. The first known model that placed the Sun at the center of the known universe with the Earth revolving around it was presented by Aristarchus of Samos in the third century BCE, but it was not generally accepted.

What is the largest irregular moon by mass?

The largest irregular moon by mass is Triton at 2.1E+22 kg. (Source: Triton (moon) – Wikipedia) It’s also the largest moon in a retrograde orbit (which makes it irregular by the our definition) and is believed to be a captured Kuiper Belt object. The definition is often confusing.

How has the classification of planets changed over time?

Over historical time, objects categorized as planets have changed. The ancient Greeks counted the Earth’s Moon and Sun as planets along with Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Earth was not considered a planet, but rather was thought to be the central object around which all the other celestial objects orbited.

Are there any Earth-like planets outside the traditional habitable zone?

Most of these worlds orbit red dwarfs, closer to the “bottom” of the graph, and are likely not Earth-like in the traditional sense. However, planets outside the traditional habitable zone may yet turn out to be inhabited. 2.) The idea of a ‘habitable zone.’