Could someone explain what the IAU means by "clearing its orbit". For example, could we consider the Earth having not "cleared its orbit" because of the Moon? The Sun attracts the Moon more strongly that Earth does, so does that mean that the Earth doesn't fit the criteria? Or does the IAU have some sort exception for moons which they've defined some place else? I'd really appreciate if someone with more knowledge could explain.
> Could someone explain what the IAU means by "clearing its orbit".
To use a different phrase from wikipedia, "orbital dominance".
Other objects that stick around are either captured as satellites or forced into resonant orbits.
> The Sun attracts the Moon more strongly that Earth does, so does that mean that the Earth doesn't fit the criteria?
The Earth's sphere of influence goes out to about a million km, 2.5x the moon's orbit.