Pluto: curiosities and facts you didn't know

dwarf planet

Pluto is a dwarf planet located in the solar system, in the region known as the Kuiper Belt, beyond the orbit of Neptune. Discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, Pluto has been the subject of great interest and controversy due to its relatively small size and peculiar orbit. There are numerous curiosities and facts about Pluto that you may not have known.

Therefore, in this article we are going to tell you the main curiosities and facts about Pluto that you did not know.

Key features

pluton

One of the most notable characteristics of Pluto is its size. With an approximate diameter of around 2,370 kilometers, Pluto is significantly smaller than traditional planets in the solar system. In fact, its size is comparable to that of some moons of other planets, such as Earth's moon, which led to its reclassification as dwarf planet in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union.

Another notable feature is its elliptical and inclined orbit. Unlike the more circular, aligned orbits of the inner and outer planets, Pluto's orbit is highly elliptical and tilted significantly relative to the orbital plane of the major planets. This means that at certain times, Pluto is closer to the Sun than Neptune, which last occurred between 1979 and 1999.

Additionally, Pluto has a moon known as Charon, which is large enough that some scientists consider it a binary system rather than a planet and its moon. This binary system is peculiar due to its size and relative proximity, making it a fascinating object of study for scientists.

The composition of Pluto is also an object of interest. It is believed to be composed mainly of rock and ice, with a surface covered by a layer of ice made of methane, nitrogen and carbon monoxide. However, its exact composition and the presence of possible geological features remain topics of active research.

Curiosities and facts about Pluto

pluto planet

Pluto is very small

Pluto's diameter reaches 2.368 kilometers, with a margin of error of about 20 kilometers. Furthermore, its orbit is characterized by eccentricity, inclination and a general peculiar nature.

It has an eccentric, inclined and strange orbit

Among all the planets in the solar system, Pluto has the most eccentric orbit and exhibits a significant inclination, resulting in an occasional proximity to the Sun that exceeds even that of Neptune. The peculiar nature of this orbit has aroused much curiosity, as it is considered one of the most enigmatic and capricious of all known orbits. In particular, it is the only dwarf planet that has an atmosphere.

It has atmosphere

Pluto's perihelion, the closest point to the Sun, reveals a gaseous and poisonous state of its thin atmosphere, which is harmful to human life. On the contrary, during its aphelion stage, When Pluto is furthest from the Sun, this atmosphere freezes and descends on the surface in the form of delicate snow.

Rotation speed is very slow

Despite being classified as a dwarf planet, Pluto has an exceptionally long rotation period, ranking as the second longest in the entire solar system, only surpassed by Venus.

The planet in question It requires a total of 6 days, 9 hours and 17 minutes to complete one full rotation on its axis. This duration clearly exceeds the 24-hour cycle observed on Earth, but it should be noted that it is nothing like Venus, which takes a staggering 243 days to complete a single rotation.

Jupiter has the distinction of having the fastest rotation cycle among all the planets, completing one revolution in just 10 hours. On the other hand, Pluto rotates in the opposite direction.

Pluto's rotation is opposite

Pluto's rotation differs from that of Earth, resulting in a unique phenomenon in which the Sun appears to rise in the west and set in the east. Similarly, Venus and Uranus share this unique characteristic. Specifically, it takes light five hours to reach these celestial bodies.

The light takes 5 hours to arrive

A widely known fact about Pluto is its considerable distance from Earth. However, what may surprise you is that this vast expanse requires approximately five hours for sunlight to travel to reach it.

The radiant energy emitted by the Sun takes just eight minutes to travel and reach our planet. Additionally, it was once considered the coldest celestial body in our solar system.

It was considered the coldest planet in the solar system

Following its classification as a planet (now reclassified as a dwarf planet), Pluto earned the distinction of being the coldest celestial body in our solar system, with temperatures as low as -240 degrees, a position it certainly deserves. The lowest temperature ever documented on our planet reached a chilling -89,2 degrees in the frozen expanse of Antarctica.

Pluto maintains an average temperature of -229 degrees, a stark contrast to Earth's comparatively mild 15 degrees. In addition, a remarkable phenomenon occurs on Pluto, where the stars are visible even during daylight hours.

You can see the stars during the day

The darkness of Pluto's sky is so intense that even during the day the stars within it can be easily detected. However, although it is not the only interesting thing you can see if you look up. With Charon, Pluto's largest moon, very close and with its unique orbit, you can witness the constant presence of this satellite in the planet's sky. But it is important to note that It is always visible from the same side. Additionally, Pluto takes approximately two hundred and fifty years to complete one orbit around the Sun.

It takes 248 years to go around the sun

Of all the planets in the solar system, Pluto has the longest sidereal orbital period, requiring a staggering 248 years, 197 days and 5,5 hours to complete its journey.

The large disparity between the time it takes the Earth to complete a full orbit, 365 days, and the unidentified object in question becomes evident when comparing them. Speculation suggests that this object may have originated as a stray satellite of Neptune.

It is thought to have been a satellite of Neptune.

Although there is no universal agreement, there are astronomers who hold the belief that Pluto originated as a satellite of Neptune but managed to free itself from its gravitational influence and It eventually established its own orbit around the Sun. The approach is very credible and logical, as it bears a striking resemblance to Triton, widely recognized as one of the best-known satellites of Neptune.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the most interesting curiosities and data about Pluto.


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