_________ oblong orbit overlaps the orbit of Neptune.

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

SSC CHSL Exam 2024 Tier-I Official Paper (Held On: 10 Jul, 2024 Shift 3)

Answer 1

The correct answer is Pluto's

Key Points

Pluto's oblong orbit overlaps the orbit of Neptune.
Pluto is classified as a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of bodies beyond Neptune.
The orbit of Pluto is highly elliptical, taking it inside the orbit of Neptune for 20 years of its 248-year orbit around the Sun.
This unique orbital characteristic means that at certain times, Pluto is closer to the Sun than Neptune.
Despite this overlap, there is no risk of collision due to their respective orbital inclinations and resonance.

Additional Information

Pluto was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930 and was originally classified as the ninth planet of the Solar System.
In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined the criteria for planet classification, and Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet.
Pluto has five known moons: Charon, Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra.
The New Horizons mission, launched by NASA, performed a flyby of Pluto in 2015, providing the most detailed images and data of the dwarf planet to date.
Pluto's surface is composed of a mixture of frozen nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide ices.
It has a thin atmosphere that expands when it is closer to the Sun and collapses as it moves farther away.