Makemake
From Halbeeg, the open encyclopedia · Af-Soomaali
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Makemake is an icy body located in the Kuiper Belt, a region beyond Neptune's orbit. It is classified as one of the dwarf planets recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), and is among the largest known objects in that region.
It was discovered in 2005 by an American team of astronomers led by Michael E. Brown. The name derives from the religion of the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island, where Makemake is recognized as the creator deity of humanity. The name was officially assigned to the object in 2008.
Orbit and structure
Makemake orbits the Sun at an extremely great distance, far beyond Neptune's orbit. One complete orbit takes several hundred Earth years. Its orbit is highly eccentric and tilted slightly from the plane of planetary orbits.
Its mean diameter is estimated to be smaller than Pluto's but larger than most other known Kuiper Belt objects. Its surface shows traces of frozen methane and ethane, which makes it highly reflective when sunlight bounces off it.
Moon
In the late 2010s, observations from the Hubble Space Telescope revealed a small moon orbiting Makemake. This satellite has enabled astronomers to estimate the total mass of the system.
Name disambiguation
The name 'Makemake' carries two meanings: the Rapa Nui deity and the celestial dwarf planet. Some encyclopedias therefore include a disambiguation note under this entry.