Transcript Pluto
Pluto By: Matt and Luke Pluto • Pluto’s orbit is about 5,913,520,000 km from the sun • Diameter: 2274 km • Atmosphere contains: Nitrogen, Methane, and Carbon monoxide gases • It takes Pluto about 248 Earth years to complete one revolution around the Sun and it rotates in the opposite direction of the other planets Pluto • Pluto’s orbit has an effect on it’s atmosphere. • Pluto’s orbit is highly inclined, which causes Pluto to actually become closer to the sun than Neptune at a certain point in it’s orbit. • Pluto is far from the sun it’s gases in the atmosphere freeze and when it is closer the surface melts releasing the gases back into the atmosphere. Pluto • Surface temperature when close to the sun is 43 Kelvin • Surface temperature when far away is 36 Kelvin. Pluto • • • • • Pluto was discovered on February 18th, 1930 Discovered by Clyde W. Tombaugh From 1930 to 2006 Pluto was considered our Solar system’s ninth planet. It is now considered a Dwarf planet Pluto has three moons: Charon, Nix, and Hydra Pluto • Charon is Pluto’s largest moon and was discovered in 1978 by astronomer, James Chritsy. • Diameter: 1,205 • Later on in 2005 Nix and Hydra were discovered. • Nix’s diameter: 91 km • Hydra’s diameter: 114 km Pluto • In 1992, astronomers discovered small icy objects behind Neptune that were similar in size and orbit to Pluto. • This ring of objects, along with Pluto, were classified as the Kuiper belt. • Its like an asteroid belt, except larger and consist of frozen objects. Pluto • Pluto has no been visited yet by a spacecraft. • A space craft was launched in January 2006, and is expected to reach Pluto during the year 2015 • Only observations have been done through the Hubble space telescope. Pluto • Through observations scientist predict that Pluto’s inner composition is about 60% rock and 40% ice. • It’s core is made up of rock and it is surrounded by a mantle of ice. Pluto • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqX2Ydnw tRc