<p>In addition to the answer above, Pluto is a Neptune crossing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Neptunian_object" rel="noreferrer">trans neptunium object</a> or TNO as it's often abreviated.  Being a TNO doesn't exclude the possibility of an object being a planet but crossing the orbit of Neptune does.   So, even if Pluto cleared out it's entire orbital neighborhood, it would still cross Neptune and naming it a planet would be problematic.</p>

<p>If it's orbit changed to being entire outside of Neptune, it would still face the problem of being one of several minor planets in that general region of similar size. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/LffKR.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/LffKR.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>If you really wanted to push the theoretical to the limit, if Pluto's orbit moved so it stopped crossing Neptune's and if it merged with all the other similarly sized TNOs, then you could make an argument that it stands out as unique for it's region and a strong argument could be made that it should under those conditions, be called a planet, but that's a stack of improbabilities so high that winning next weeks mega millions top prize seems likely by comparison.</p>

<p>Also, if all the large known TNOs were somehow combined, they would still have a mass less than Mercury, though perhaps a slightly larger diameter, but that would be large enough where it just might get planet status.   It won't happen though.  Space is too big and object's orbits are too far from each other.   Planet formation happened within the proto-planetary disk at distances much closer to the Sun.   Uranus and Neptune likely formed much closer to the Sun than they are now.   There's not enough material and too much space in between for a planet to coalesce at Pluto distance from our Sun.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-22T06:55:48.863Z
2018-11-22T06:55:48.863Z
userLTK
<p>Space is super empty, and Pluto has a very small mass. There's a extremely small chance that it could attract any objects in its "neighborhood", so if it ever does happen, it would be a very, very long time from now. Perhaps, it would take so long that by the time that happens, Pluto would have been ejected from the Solar System after the Sun dies.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-22T01:18:07.597Z
2018-11-22T01:18:07.597Z
User24373
<p>I am not quite sure if it would, considering i'v looked through countless websites and found nothing and would like to know if it could clear its path and join the other planets? </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-22T06:57:20.167Z
Related question here:   https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/11399/how-much-more-massive-would-pluto-have-to-be-to-clear-its-neighborhood?rq=1
userLTK
<pluto>
Will Pluto ever clear its path?
quick
# Will Pluto ever clear its path?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-11-21)

I am not quite sure if it would, considering i'v looked through countless websites and found nothing and would like to know if it could clear its path and join the other planets?

**Tags:** pluto

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Related question here:   https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/11399/how-much-more-massive-would-pluto-have-to-be-to-clear-its-neighborhood?rq=1  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-11-22. Score: 5

In addition to the answer above, Pluto is a Neptune crossing [trans neptunium object](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Neptunian_object) or TNO as it's often abreviated. Being a TNO doesn't exclude the possibility of an object being a planet but crossing the orbit of Neptune does. So, even if Pluto cleared out it's entire orbital neighborhood, it would still cross Neptune and naming it a planet would be problematic.

If it's orbit changed to being entire outside of Neptune, it would still face the problem of being one of several minor planets in that general region of similar size.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/LffKR.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/LffKR.png)

If you really wanted to push the theoretical to the limit, if Pluto's orbit moved so it stopped crossing Neptune's and if it merged with all the other similarly sized TNOs, then you could make an argument that it stands out as unique for it's region and a strong argument could be made that it should under those conditions, be called a planet, but that's a stack of improbabilities so high that winning next weeks mega millions top prize seems likely by comparison.

Also, if all the large known TNOs were somehow combined, they would still have a mass less than Mercury, though perhaps a slightly larger diameter, but that would be large enough where it just might get planet status. It won't happen though. Space is too big and object's orbits are too far from each other. Planet formation happened within the proto-planetary disk at distances much closer to the Sun. Uranus and Neptune likely formed much closer to the Sun than they are now. There's not enough material and too much space in between for a planet to coalesce at Pluto distance from our Sun.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2018-11-22. Score: -2

Space is super empty, and Pluto has a very small mass. There's a extremely small chance that it could attract any objects in its "neighborhood", so if it ever does happen, it would be a very, very long time from now. Perhaps, it would take so long that by the time that happens, Pluto would have been ejected from the Solar System after the Sun dies.


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