Worlds apart

Eris vs Pluto

What are they, and what does the difference actually look like?

Two things. One honest scale.

Meet the pair

What these two things are

Eris

Eris is a dwarf planet in the scattered disc region beyond Neptune, composed of rock and ice.

2,326 kmDiameter

Pluto

Pluto is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, composed of rock and ice and orbiting the Sun.

2,377 kmMean diameter

The mean diameter of Pluto is about 1.02 times the diameter of Eris.

True scale
01
Eris2,326 kmDiameter
02
Pluto2,377 kmMean diameter
Both marked spans share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its proportions; poses and surface detail are illustrative.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +

Eris

Rounded mean-radius model of Eris. The derived area and volume describe a sphere; surface terrain and flattening are omitted.

Defined examples — our methodology

The marked diameter is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.

Pluto

Mean-radius spherical model for Pluto; actual shape is not perfectly spherical.

NASA JPL — planetary physical parameters

The marked mean diameter is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.

Change the comparison

Put something else beside it.

Measurement details

Why these numbers?

The visual compares diameter with mean diameter. The records below preserve each value’s basis and caveats.

Eris

2,326 km

Diameter · rounded reference

Rounded mean-radius model of Eris. The derived area and volume describe a sphere; surface terrain and flattening are omitted.

Pluto

2,377 km

Mean diameter · approximate

Mean-radius spherical model for Pluto; actual shape is not perfectly spherical.

Comparing
Diameter ↔ Mean diameter
Relative size
Pluto is larger on this measurement by a factor of about 1.02. Pluto's selected measurement is approximately 2.18% greater than Eris's.

How to read the visual

The labelled spans and stored measurements determine the scale; unmeasured illustration details do not.

  • Eris is labelled rounded reference; treat the displayed value as a comparison anchor rather than false precision.
  • Pluto is labelled approximate; treat the displayed value as a comparison anchor rather than false precision.

There’s always another scale

Follow your curiosity.

Explore things ↗

Side by side

Another point of view.

All comparisons ↗

Share a little perspective.