Terminology: Dwarf Planet vs. ProtoPlanet

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter DaveC426913
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Planet Terminology
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
3 replies · 6K views
DaveC426913
Gold Member
2025 Award
Messages
24,616
Reaction score
8,955
For a Grade 9 textbook:

"Many more objects exist in the solar system besides the eight major planets. These are smaller and include moons, comets, protoplanets, such as Pluto, and tiny grains of dust and ice."

Is this acceptably-worded or is it misleading?

My take is that the term "protoplanet" refers to planetesimals that are part of a young still-forming system and have the potential to grow into planets. "Dwarf planets" are pretty much all they're ever going to be.
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
I'm hoping for an authoritative answer from someone who knows these things so I can defend it to the editor.