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For an object to be a planet it has to : orbit the sun, has enough mass to assume a rounded shape, and clear any objects in its path.
Some planets (such as Pluto) are no longer planets because they do not fit the criteria above. They are then usually classed as dwarf planets.
Asteroids are small pieces of rock which orbit the sun. These are much too small to become planets/dwarf planets and also don't fit the criteria above.
Hope this helps :)
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoPlanets are large masses of rock and dust that orbit the sun. Asteroids are almost the same but the size sets them apart. Astroids are smaller masses of rock and dust, but still orbit the sun.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoa dwarf planet is a planet that is too big to be an asteroid and is too small to be a planet and a asteroid flys around in space but a dwarf planet goes around a sun
pluto is a dwarf planet
Wiki User
∙ 13y agowell the difference is that asteroids are giant rocks floating around and they are part of the asteroid belt. Dwarf planets are bigger and are too big to be an asteroid and too small to be a planet.
Did you know that one dwarf planet Ceres is actually one of Jupiter's largest moons!!!! :)
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoBecause asteroids are minor planets
planets are apart and help our solar system\
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoIn simplest terms, the difference is size. Planets are much larger than asteroids, which are in turn larger than meteoroids.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoSize, mostly. Planets are large enough that gravity collapses them into spheres. Asteroids can be of irregular shape.
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Celestial body between mars and Jupiter?
Asteroids (also sometimes called "minor planets"). These are not the "dwarf planets", except for Ceres, which is a dwarf planet.
Which celestial bodies orbit the Sun?
the asteroid belt, the kuiper belt, and the oort cloud.
Does the sun have any natural satellites?
Yes, all of the planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, and comets are natural satellites of the sun.
How many objects orbit the Sun?
Thousands inluding the 8 planets, the dwarf planets, the asteroids in the asteroid belt, and comets.
What are four different things that revolve around the sun?
planets, asteroids, comets, dwarf plantets
What is one difference of dwarf planets and asteroids?
asteroids are small chunks of rock which move in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter while dwarf planets like Pluto have a centrifugal force and orbit the sun.
What is the different between ordinary planets and dwarf planets?
ordinary planets are a big part of the solar system dwarf planets aren't that important they are considered like stars or asteroids but mainly dwarf planets
Celestial body between mars and Jupiter?
Asteroids (also sometimes called "minor planets"). These are not the "dwarf planets", except for Ceres, which is a dwarf planet.
Are dwarf planets asteroids?
No. The term dwarf planet is reserved for a relatively large object that is rounded by its own gravity. The vast majority of asteroids are not rounded like this.
What can planets do that dwarf planets cannot do?
Actually Dwarf planets are planets which are very small in size and cannot be called planets but not as small to be called asteroids, so the name dwarf planets.
Are dwarf planets bigger than asteroids?
Yes. The difference is that a dwarf planet must have enough mass to have crushed it into a sphere under the influence of gravity.
What has the author Andrew S Rivkin written?
Andrew S. Rivkin has written: 'Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets' -- subject(s): Comets, Asteroids, Dwarf planets
Are comets asteroids stars or galaxies sometimes called minor planets?
Asteroids, some comets, and dwarf planets are classified as minor planets. Stars and galaxies are much larger than planets There are dwarf planets and these are Ceres Pluto and Eris.
Are comets asteroids meteors and dwarf planets on earth?
No. They are in space.
Wha is solar system?
the sun and its collection of planets, asteroids, dwarf planets and KBOs
Which planets are the asteroid belt?
There are no planets in the asteroid belt. There are asteroids and the dwarf planet Ceres.
What objects orbit the sun between the inner and outer planets?
The objects that orbit the Sun between the inner and outer planets are collectively known as asteroids. They are rocky remnants left over from the early formation of the solar system. Some asteroids are quite large and have even been classified as dwarf planets, such as Ceres.
