Dwarf planets, illustration - stock photo

Illustration depicting the solar system's dwarf planets. Dwarf planets are similar to planets in that they orbit the Sun, have enough mass to assume a nearly round shape. However they are not classified as true planets as they fail to dominate their orbit and share their orbits with other objects. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) lists five official dwarf planets in the solar system: Pluto, Eris, Makemake, Haumea, and Ceres. There are four more planetary objects, namely Orcus, Sedna, Gonggong and Quaoar, that the majority of the scientific community recognize as dwarf planets