The mysterious red dwarf planet that takes 554 years to orbit
In short: Beyond the reach of Neptune lies Gonggong, a world smaller than our Moon yet complex enough to possess its own moon. This video explores why this icy outlier remains largely overlooked in popular space discourse.
Gonggong is situated in the outer reaches of the Solar System within the Kuiper Belt. While Pluto is the most famous dwarf planet, Gonggong occupies a much more distant orbit, requiring 554 Earth years to complete a single revolution around the Sun. Despite its small size—smaller than Earth's Moon—it maintains its own satellite, named Xiangliu.
The world is notable for being one of the coldest places in our solar system. Surprisingly, it features a red surface despite its icy composition. Its existence challenges standard definitions of planetary bodies and highlights the diversity of objects residing in the debris-filled outskirts of our celestial neighborhood.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Gonggong: The Ice-Cold Dwarf Planet You Never Heard Of
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/space-gonggong-the-ice-cold-dwarf-planet-you-never-heard-of.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Astronomy · More in Space · Latest · A–Z · All topics
