QUOTE (Mtrichardson @ Jan 31 2008, 07:27 PM)

why did they deside that pluto was not a planet but insted a dorph planet
Until recently the term "planet" had not really been defined. It seemed so obvious what a planet was that no real definition was needed
This began to change when a theory was proven. It was theorised that there was a belt of objects beyond Neptune. This is known as the Kuiper Belt. It turns out that Pluto is just one object amongst thousands in this belt. It isn't even the largest. Eris, discovered in 2003, is 27% more massive and 0.8% larger in diameter than Pluto.
Astronomers decided to define what a planet was. Some people wanted a definition that included Pluto (some still do). This would mean that Eris would also have to be a planet. Potentially there could be hundreds or even thousands of planets in the solar system.
Astronomers decided that a "true" should have "swept its orbit clean". By this it is meant that a planet should be the dominant body in its neighbourhood. This definition could not include Pluto or Eris. It was decided that a new designation should be created, "Dwarf Plant". Like the true planets these objects should be massive enough that gravity causes them to be spherical in shape, but they are not massive enough to dominate there laocal neighbourhood.
As well as Eris and Pluto, the largest asteroid, Ceres, was also designated a Dwarf Planet. More objects (particularly some from the Kuiper Belt) are likely to be given Dwarf Planet status n the future.