HAUMEA – The Fast-Spinning Dwarf Planet | Planets Of The Solar System
HAUMEA – In this topic, we will now know one the five different known dwarf planets, the the fast-spinning dwarf planet Haumea.
This dwarf planet is among the five discovered dwarf planets in the Solar System.
According to Space, it is well known for its fast-spinning on its axis. It was discovered in 2003 by the Sierra Nevada Observatory, led by José Luis Ortiz Moreno. In December 2004, it was named Santa due to its second time discovery by the Palomar Observatory
It was initially classified as a Kuiper Belt Object (KBO), calling it 2003 EL61. It was then eventually named after the Hawaiian goddess of childbirth and fertility Haumea. Its two moons were also named after the goddess’ daughters, Hi’iaka and Namaka.
The dwarf planet revolves around the sun every 285 Earth-years. Its distance, at its closest, is 34 times the Earth-sun distance; and 51 times at its farthest.
Its spins once every four hours, which is one of its notable features. Due to this, the planet looks more like a slightly flattened football rather than a sphere.
Its interior is rocky and is coated by a thick icy shell. It also has a red spot on its surface which is composed of more minerals and organic compounds.
Furthermore, the dwarf planet has a ring system that was discovered in 2017.
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