Which dwarf planet orbits the sun in 310 years at a distance between 38.5 to 53 AU?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. Makemake.
- Makemake, a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, orbits the Sun at an average distance of 45.8 AU and completes its orbit in approximately 310 years. Its orbital distance ranges between 38.5 AU at perihelion (closest point to the Sun) and 53 AU at aphelion (farthest point from the Sun). This makes Makemake one of the farthest known dwarf planets in the Solar System, similar in location to Pluto.
- Discovered in 2005 and officially recognized as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 2008, Makemake is notable for its lack of a significant atmosphere, unlike Pluto, and for its reddish appearance due to the presence of methane ice on its surface.