Makemake lacks atmosphere

Dwarf Planet Makemake Lacks Atmosphere Granada - Arabstoday Dwarf planet Makemake is not surrounded by a significant atmosphere, according to the results of a new experiment. The planet, about two thirds of the size of Pluto, travels around the Sun in a distant path that lies beyond that of Pluto but closer to the Sun than the biggest dwarf planet, Eris. The research was carried out by a team led by Jose Luis Ortiz from Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia in Spain. He used three different telescopes in Chile to reach the conclusion. "As Makemake passed in front of the star and blocked it out, the star disappeared and reappeared very abruptly, rather than fading and brightening gradually. This means that the little dwarf planet has no significant atmosphere," he said. Makemake is one of five dwarf planets currently recognised by the International Astronomical Union.It was discovered a few days after Easter in March 2005, earning it the informal nickname of Easterbunny. In July 2008 it was given the official name of Makemake.