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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Photo: Pluto Smaller Than Dwarf Planet Neighbor Eris, Study Finds


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An artist's reconstruction shows the dwarf planet Eris, formerly known as 2003 UB313 and Xena.

Eris, named after the Greek goddess of discord and strife for its role in spurring on a controversial new definition of "planet," is a third larger than neighboring Pluto, a new telescope study reveals.

The finding is yet another blow to the reputation of the former ninth planet.

Photograph courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech