scattered-disc dwarf planet
Eris
A distant dwarf planet almost as large as Pluto and more massive; its discovery led to the 2006 definition of a planet.
- Distance from Earth today
- 14.16 billion km94.66 AU · light: 13 h 7 min
- Distance from the Sun today
- 14.30 billion km95.61 AU
- As of
- 2 November 2026position from NASA/JPL orbital elements
Where it is today
Top view of the plane of Earth’s orbit, compressed distance scale. Open on the big map with the time slider →
Facts
- Rotation period
- 25.9 h
- Semi-major axis
- 67.90 AU (10.16 billion km)
- Perihelion
- 38.09 AU
- Aphelion
- 97.70 AU
- Orbital period
- 559.5 years
- Orbital eccentricity
- 0.439
- Orbital inclination
- 44.0°
Source of the figures: JPL Small-Body Database (public domain).
Discovery: 2003 – Michael E. Brown, Chad Trujillo, David Rabinowitz
Description
Eris is a dwarf planet of the scattered disc, on a long, steeply tilted orbit that carries it far beyond Pluto. It is nearly the same size as Pluto but noticeably more massive, which made its announcement in 2005 a turning point: the debate over whether it should be the tenth planet ended with the International Astronomical Union defining the term "planet" in 2006 and creating the dwarf planet category. Its very bright surface is probably covered in frozen nitrogen and methane. Fittingly, it is named after the Greek goddess of strife and discord, and its moon Dysnomia after her daughter.