Makemake shines bright with a frosty surface
Dwarf planet Makemake gleams brightly in the Kuiper Belt, reflecting over 80 percent of sunlight thanks to its icy surface and extremely thin atmosphere, revealing clues about its formation.
Makemake, a dwarf planet in the distant Kuiper Belt, is incredibly reflective, bouncing back about 82 percent of the sunlight it receives. Discovered in 2005, this icy world, roughly 1,430 kilometers wide, is one of the brightest objects in the outer solar system. Its pristine, frosty exterior is covered in methane ice, giving it an exceptionally high albedo.
There's more to this story — open the app to keep reading.
Continue Reading in App
1 more paragraphs · plus a 3-question quiz