Which term describes a celestial body that does not clear its orbit?

The term that describes a celestial body that does not clear its orbit is a dwarf planet. Dwarf planets are similar to regular planets in that they orbit the Sun and have enough mass for their self-gravity to give them a nearly round shape. However, they differ from full-fledged planets primarily because they do not dominate their orbital zone. This means that they share their orbital region with other objects of similar size and cannot clear out the debris and smaller bodies around them.

On the other hand, planets are defined as celestial bodies that meet the criteria of being in orbit around a star, having sufficient mass for self-gravity to take on a nearly round shape, and having cleared their orbital path of other debris.

Asteroids, while they orbit the sun and can be found in many regions of space, are not classified as dwarf planets because they do not fit the criteria of being nearly round due to their smaller sizes.

Satellites, including moons, orbit other planets or celestial bodies rather than the Sun directly, and thus do not fit the definition of a body that clears its orbit around the Sun.

Understanding these definitions helps clarify why dwarf planet is the correct choice for a celestial body that does not clear its orbit.