In 2006, scientists said Pluto was not a regular planet. It is too small. There are only eight true planets in our solar system. Pluto is a dwarf planet. There are 44 dwarf planets like Pluto. There may be more dwarf planets.

Pluto is very, very far from the sun. It is covered with ice. It is very small. Pluto is smaller than our moon. It has no light. It is frozen and dark. It is 380 degrees fahrenheit below 0. It is very, very cold.

When Pluto travels around the sun, it goes in a long and narrow path or orbit. It crosses into Neptune’s orbit. The true eight planets are round and big. They do not cross into other planets' paths or orbits. This is another reason Pluto is not a true planet.

In January 2006, a spacecraft named New Horizons blasted off for Pluto. The trip will take over nine years. In 2015, New Horizons will begin sending information back to Earth. Scientists hope to learn more about Pluto and its moon, Charon.