Makemake, official designated as 136472 Makemake, is the 4th dwarf planet from the sun, and perhaps the largest Kuiper belt object (KBO) in the classical population, with a diameter that is around 2/3 the size of Pluto. Its extremely low average temperature, about 30 K (−243.2 °C), means its surface is covered with methane, ethane, and possibly nitrogen ices. It has a diameter of 1,430 km.
Initially known as 2005 FY9 and later given the minor-planet number 136472, it was discovered on March 31, 2005, by a team led by Michael Brown, and announced on July 29, 2005. Makemake was recognized as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in July 2008. Its name derives from Makemake in the mythology of the Rapanui people of Easter Island.
Moon
MK2
S/2015 (136472) 1, nicknamed MK2 by the discovery team, is the only known moon of Makemake. It is estimated to be 175 km (110 mi) km in diameter (for an assumed albedo of 4%) and has a semi-major axis at least 21,000 km (13,000 mi) from Makemake. Its orbital period is ≥ 12 days (the minimum values are those for a circular orbit; the actual orbital eccentricity is unknown). Observations leading to its discovery occurred in April 2015, using the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 and its discovery was announced on 26 April 2016.
Gallery/Images
| Dwarf Planets and Dwarf Planet Candidates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asteroid Belt | Consensus | Ceres |
| Possible | Hygeia • Vesta | |
| Centaurs | Possible | Chariklo • Chiron • 2013 TC₁₄₆ • 2014 NW₆₅ |
| Plutinos | Consensus | Orcus • Pluto |
| Possible | Huya • Ixion • 2001 QF₂₉₈ • 2002 VR₁₂₈ • 2002 XV₉₃• 2003 AZ₈₄ • 2003 UZ₄₁₃ • 2003 VS₂ • 2007 JH₄₃ • 2017 OF₆₉ | |
| Twotinos | Possible | 2002 WC₁₉ |
| Cubewanos and other Kuiper Belt Objects | Consensus | Haumea • Makemake • Quaoar |
| Possible (cubewanos) | Chaos • Salacia • Varda • Varuna • 1998 SN₁₆₅ • 2002 AW₁₉₇ • 2002 CY₂₄₈ • 2002 KX₁₄ • 2002 MS₄ • 2002 UX₂₅ • 2002 QW₉₀ • 2004 GV₄ • 2004 NT₃₃ • 2004 PF₁₁₅ • 2004 TY₃₆₄ • 2004 UX₁₀ • 2005 RN₄₃ • 2005 UQ₅₁₃ • 2010 FX₈₆ • 229762 Gǃkúnǁʼhòmdímà | |
| Possible (other) | 1999 CD₁₅₈ • 1999 DE₉ • 2000 YW₁₃₄ • 2002 XW₉₃ • 2010 JO₁₇₉ • 2010 VK₂₀₁ • 2011 FW₆₂ • 2011 GM₂₇ • 2013 FZ₂₇ • 2014 UM₃₃ • 2015 AM₂₈₁ • 2015 RR₂₄₅ | |
| The Planets and Dwarf Planets | |
|---|---|
| Planets | |
| Mercury • Venus • Earth • Mars • Jupiter • Saturn • Uranus • Neptune | |
| Dwarf Planets | |
| Ceres • Pluto • Haumea • Makemake • Quaoar • Eris | |