astronomy
: a probable dwarf planet that orbits beyond the orbit of Neptune with a mean distance from the sun of about 520 astronomical units (48.3 billion miles)] and a diameter of approximately [870 miles (1400 kilometers)]
[The planetoid] Sedna at its closest approach to the sun is still two and half times as far away as Pluto. Its orbit will eventually take it more than 12 times that far away, into a dim exurb of the solar system where the sun looks more like an ordinary star.—Joel Achenback, National Geographic, December 2004
Note:
Sedna is believed to qualify as a dwarf planet under the current definition of that term, but precise identification of its characteristics is made difficult by its distance from the Earth.
Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share