Final answer:
The claim that Pluto crosses Neptune's orbit and comes closer to the Sun than Neptune at its perihelion is true due to the unusual properties of Pluto's orbit.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Pluto crosses Neptune's orbit and is actually closer to the Sun than Neptune at perihelion is True. Pluto's orbit is highly eccentric and inclined, making it so that for about 20 years out of its 248-year orbit, it is closer to the Sun than Neptune. This occurs when Pluto is at its perihelion, the point in its orbit when it is nearest to the Sun. The areas where Pluto's orbit crosses Neptune's are known as the points of intersection, and although Pluto comes closer to the Sun than Neptune during this time, there's no danger of collision due to the 17° inclination of Pluto's orbit relative to the ecliptic plane, which significantly differs from Neptune's orbital plane.