MK2 facts for kids
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Makemake and its moon (arrow)
|
|
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovery date | 2016 |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| 12 d | |
| Satellite of | Makemake |
| Physical characteristics | |
|
Mean diameter
|
175 km |
MK2 is a small moon that orbits a dwarf planet named Makemake. Scientists first found MK2 in 2016. It takes about 12 Earth days for MK2 to complete one trip around Makemake. This little moon is roughly 175 kilometers wide.
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Discovering MK2: Makemake's Tiny Moon
MK2 is a moon that belongs to Makemake, which is a dwarf planet located far out in our Solar System. Astronomers first spotted this small moon in 2016. Its discovery helped scientists learn more about Makemake itself.
What is a Dwarf Planet?
A dwarf planet is a celestial body that orbits the Sun. It is nearly round because of its own gravity. However, unlike a full-sized planet, it has not cleared its orbital path of other objects. Pluto is another well-known dwarf planet.
How Was MK2 Found?
Scientists used the Hubble Space Telescope to find MK2. They were looking closely at Makemake when they noticed a faint, tiny object orbiting it. This discovery was exciting because it gave them new clues about the distant dwarf planet.
Size and Orbit of MK2
MK2 is a relatively small moon. It measures about 175 kilometers (around 109 miles) across. To give you an idea, that's roughly the distance from London to Birmingham in the UK, or from Los Angeles to San Diego in the USA.
MK2 travels around Makemake in an orbit that takes about 12 Earth days to complete. This means it circles its dwarf planet much faster than our Moon circles Earth, which takes about 27 days. Studying MK2's orbit helps scientists figure out Makemake's mass.
