Double planet frequently been described by many scientists as "double dwarf planets" ("double planets" prior to the 2006 definition of "planet"). The International Astronomical Union (IAU) currently calls Charon a satellite of Pluto, but has explicitly expressed a willingness to reconsider the bodies double dwarf planets at a future time. The Moon-to-Earth mass ratio of 0.01230 (≈ ) is also notably close to 1 when compared to all other satellite-to-planet ratios. Consequently, some scientists view the Earth-Moon system as a double planet as well, though this is a minority view. Eris's lone satellite, Dysnomia, has a radius somewhere around that of Eris;
Dwarf planet finally precipitated by the discovery of an even more massive object, Eris. The exclusion of dwarf planets from the roster of planets by the IAU has been both praised and criticized; it was said to be the "right decision" by astronomer Mike Brown, who discovered Eris and other new dwarf planets, but has been rejected by Alan Stern, who had coined the term "dwarf planet" in April 1991. As of July 2008 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognizes five dwarf planets: in the asteroid belt, and Pluto, , , and in the outer Solar System. Brown criticizes this official recognition: