What is the difference between a planet and a dwarf planet?

The key difference lies in the third criterion established by the International Astronomical Union in 2006. A planet must orbit the Sun, have enough mass for gravity to make it roughly spherical, and have "cleared the neighborhood" around its orbit of other debris. A dwarf planet meets the first two conditions but has not cleared its orbital neighborhood, meaning it shares its orbital zone with other similar objects. Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet under this definition because it orbits within the Kuiper Belt alongside many other icy bodies. Examples of dwarf planets include Pluto, Eris, Ceres, and Makemake. The eight recognized planets in our solar system have all gravitationally dominated their orbital zones.