Pluto is now Asteroid #134340

As mentioned in a circular issued by the Minor Planet Center. See the
Sky and Telescope web site.

In article et,
robert casey wrote:

As mentioned in a circular issued by the Minor Planet Center. See the
Sky and Telescope web site.

So Pluto became asteroid #134340....

It could have become #10000 instead: in March 1999, when the number of
numbered asteroids approached 10000, Brian Marsden suggested that
Pluto should become #10000. The idea was that Pluto would get dual
status as both planet and asteroid (somewhat like Chiron, which is
both asteroid #2060 Chiron and comet 95P/Chiron). This didn't happen
- instead #10000 became an ordinary asteroid, Myriostos. And Pluto
became asteroid #134340 instead of #10000 ....

And in 1999, "Save Pluto" campaigns also popped up.....

If Pluto had received an asteroid number soon after its discovery, it would
have been asteroid #1164 (approximately)

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Only trolls and new borns care!

robert casey wrote:

As mentioned in a circular issued by the Minor Planet Center. See the
Sky and Telescope web site.