Pluto

DESCRIPTION• Pluto is a small rocky object that lies at the very edge of the solar system. The

planet is so far out it takes light from the sun about 5 and a half hours to reach Pluto in contrast to the 8 minutes it takes to reach Earth.

• Its orbit of about 248 years

LOCATION• Pluto is the ninth, or last, planet in the solar system. • Pluto is the furthest planet. • Pluto is a very long way from the Sun. Its average distance from the Sun is over

3.5 billion miles. • The closest Pluto gets to the Sun is over 2.7 billion (2,700,000,000) miles, and the

furthest away it gets is over 4.5 billion (4,500,000,000) miles.

HOW DID PLUTO GET ITS NAME?• Pluto was discovered in 1930 by astronomer Clyde Tom Baugh. • Pluto is the Roman god of darkness and the underworld. Perhaps Pluto got

its name because it is in darkness.

Size of Pluto• Pluto is about 2274 kilometers (1410 miles) in diameter and Charon 1172

kilometers (727 miles) in diameter.

Surface Features• The surface of Pluto is very dark and extremely cold. • Scientists believe that the temperature on the surface of the ninth planet is

over 250 degrees Celsius below zero.• At this low temperature, almost everything freezes solid.

PLUTO’S MOONS• Pluto has 3 moons, the largest named Charon, was discovered in 1978. • The other two moons Nix and Hydra are far smaller than Charon.

Pluto Facts• Radius: 1,137 km• Mass: 1.27x1022 kg• Shape: round, no rings, 122° tilt• Density: 2.05 gm/cm3• Distance from the Sun: 5,913,520,000 km