Pluto Regains Its Title as Largest Object in the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt

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Pluto has been reclassified as the largest object in the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt, surpassing Eris according to new analyses. The final confirmation of Pluto's size will come in July 2015 when NASA's New Horizons spacecraft conducts a flyby. Unlike Pluto, Eris has no atmosphere, allowing for more precise measurements of its diameter, which scientists have determined with a margin of error of just 12 kilometers. The uncertainty in Pluto's size stems from its atmospheric presence, complicating accurate measurements. The ongoing debate highlights the challenges in determining the sizes of celestial bodies in the Kuiper Belt.
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Rejoice, Pluto fans!

Distant world surpasses its rival, Eris, in new analysis.

Link: ScienceNOW
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
We'll get a final verdict in July 2015, when NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flies past Pluto and measures its exact size.

Guess we'll just have to wait and see :)
 
And then we'd still have to wait for the final final verdict until we send a spacecraft past Eris.
 
glappkaeft said:
And then we'd still have to wait for the final final verdict until we send a spacecraft past Eris.

Not really. Eris has no atmosphere, so the measurement of its diameter from the 2010 stellar occultation is much cleaner. If you follow the Eris link on the ScienceNOW story, you'll see the scientists claim they know the diameter to plus or minus 12 kilometers. The big problem is Pluto, which DOES have an atmosphere; that's why its diameter is so uncertain.
 

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