Lesson plan
Makemake
Makemake (minor-planet number 136472) is a dwarf planet orbiting the Sun in the Kuiper belt, a disc of icy bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the fourth largest dwarf planet and trans-Neptunian object in the Solar System, having a diameter 60% that of Pluto. It was discovered on March 31, 2005, by American astronomers Michael E. Brown, Chad Trujillo, and David Rabinowitz at Palomar Observatory. As one of the largest outer Solar System objects found by this team, the discovery of Makemake contributed to the reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet in 2006. Makemake's surface is similar to that of Pluto: it is highly reflective, covered largely by frozen methane, and stained reddish-brown by tholins. Makemake has one known moon, which has not been named. The orbit of this moon suggests that Makemake's rotation has a high axial tilt, which implies that it experiences extreme seasons. Makemake shows evidence of geochemical activity and cryovolcanism, which has led scientists to suspect that it might harbor a subsurface ocean of liquid water. Gaseous methane has been detected around Makemake, although it is unclear whether it is contained in an atmosphere or comes from temporary outgassing. No high-resolution images of Makemake's surface exist because it has not been visited up close by a space probe.…
Article summary
Makemake (minor-planet number 136472) is a dwarf planet orbiting the Sun in the Kuiper belt, a disc of icy bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the fourth largest dwarf planet and trans-Neptunian object in the Solar System, having a diameter 60% that of Pluto. It was discovered on March 31, 2005, by American astronomers Michael E. Brown, Chad Trujillo, and David Rabinowitz at Palomar Observatory. As one of the largest outer Solar System objects found by this team, the discovery of Makemake contributed to the reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet in 2006. Makemake's surface is similar to that of Pluto: it is highly reflective, covered largely by frozen methane, and stained reddish-brown by tholins. Makemake has one known moon, which has not been named. The orbit of this moon suggests that Makemake's rotation has a high axial tilt, which implies that it experiences extreme seasons. Makemake shows evidence of geochemical activity and cryovolcanism, which has led scientists to suspect that it might harbor a subsurface ocean of liquid water. Gaseous methane has been detected around Makemake, although it is unclear whether it is contained in an atmosphere or comes from temporary outgassing. No high-resolution images of Makemake's surface exist because it has not been visited up close by a space probe.…
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.