Paaliaq

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/paaliaq

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered Paaliaq?2000
2. What is the object type?Dwarf planet
3. What is the estimated diameter?Approximately 130 km (80 miles)
4. How big is Paaliaq?Paaliaq is about 130 kilometers across, making it one of the smaller dwarf planets.
5. How long does it take for Paaliaq to go around the Sun?It takes roughly 285 Earth years for Paaliaq to complete one orbit, so its "year" is very long.

Hydrostatic Equilibrium: A state where an object's gravitational forces are balanced by internal pressure, resulting in a spherical shape.
Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO): A minor planet whose orbit lies beyond that of Neptune, typically within the Kuiper Belt or scattered disc.
AU (Astronomical Unit): The average distance between the Earth and the Sun, approximately 150 million kilometers.