The Fourth Dwarf Planet Is Officially Christened: Meet "Makemake"

A cold and sterile chunk of rock orbiting the sun in the vicinity of Neptune and Pluto has been officially named Makemake, after a Polynesian god. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has also designated Makemake the solar system's fourth dwarf planet and third "plutoid," as researchers' new aptitude for locating small orbital bodies has required a new and controversial system of classification.