Plutino

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/plutino

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. Where is Plutino?Inner region of the Kuiper Belt
2. Who discovered Plutino?(385185) 1993 RO, discovered September 16, 1993
3. What is the orbital resonance type?2:3 mean-motion resonance with Neptune
4. What is the population percentage?Approximately 25% of known Kuiper Belt objects
5. Why do plutinos stay safe from crashing into Neptune?Their 2:3 resonance keeps their paths in sync with Neptune, acting like a protective lane that keeps them from colliding or being thrown out.
6. How many of the Kuiper Belt objects are plutinos?About a quarter of all known Kuiper Belt objects are plutinos, making them one of the biggest groups out there.

Mean-Motion Resonance: A stable orbital relationship where the orbital periods of two bodies are in a simple integer ratio, influencing their gravitational interactions.