Pluto Uncovered: Five Intriguing Aspects of the Icy Dwarf Planet

5 Facts About Pluto

Pluto has several unique and interesting aspects:

1) Pluto Has 3 Moons. Yes Pluto has not one, not two, but three moons. Charon is the name of the most discussed moon as it is the largest. However, Pluto has two other moons which were discovered by the astronomers in 2005.

2) Pluto use to be called Planet X. When Pluto was first found, it was called Planet X as the discoverers were more interesting in learning about Pluto than they were in naming it. However, an 11 year old girl suggested the name Pluto - which picked up enough steam to become the official name of the 9th planet - at that time.

3) Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet. There were 9 planets as they each had unique aspects to them which allowed them to have this classification. However, as technology improved for astronomers, they began to find additional objects in the sky which would have to be classified as planets. Rather than extending the amount of Planets in our solar system to 12, the decision was made to drop Pluto as a planet which essentially gave us 8 planets. So, these new discoveries taught us that Pluto wasn't so unique after all.

4) It is extremely cold on Pluto. I know that we think it's freezing in places on Earth such as Antarctica, however, the cold weather on Pluto is off the charts. It is -382F on Pluto. Of course human life couldn't exist in these temperatures. The result of these freezing temperatures comes from the fact that Pluto is very far away from the Sun.

5) Pluto isn't always further from the sun that the 8 planets. Many people thought that Pluto was further from the sun than the 8 planets. However, due to Pluto's weird orbit - Planet Neptune is sometimes further from the sun.

What Color is Pluto? A Deep Dive into the Celestial Palette

Pluto, once regarded as the ninth planet of our solar system and later reclassified as a 'dwarf planet' in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union, has always been a subject of deep intrigue and fascination. Beyond its debated planetary status, one aspect of Pluto that has caught the attention of both astronomers and space enthusiasts alike is its distinctive coloration. So, what color is Pluto, and what does it reveal about this distant celestial body?

The Color Spectrum of Pluto

At first glance, and based on older telescopic images, one might conclude that Pluto is a dull gray or an uninteresting brown. However, as technology has advanced and more detailed images have been captured, especially by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, a more intricate palette has emerged. Pluto exhibts an array of colors: from pale blues, to rusty reds, to charcoal blacks. But why?

Reddish Hues and Cosmic Chemistry

The reddish tinge on Pluto can be attributed to a complex combination of compounds, predominantly tholins. These compounds are a result of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun interacting with methane in Pluto's atmosphere. As this radiation hits the methane, it triggers a series of chemical reactions which result in these reddish organic molecules, or tholins, which then precipitate to the surface.

It’s a marvel of space chemistry that this reaction can take place so far from the Sun, about 3.6 billion miles away. Yet, it results in an appearance so vivid that some have described Pluto as being painted with rust. But it's not just the tholins that give Pluto its color.

Contrasting Blues and Atmospheric Mysteries

The surprising discovery of blue hazes in Pluto’s atmosphere presented a puzzling contrast to its reddish surface. These hazes are thought to be the result of another set of chemical reactions involving nitrogen and methane. When tiny particles within this haze scatter sunlight, they produce the captivating blue tints. The exact cause and nature of this phenomenon are still subjects of research, as the blue hazes seem to hint at an even more complex atmospheric chemistry than previously believed.

The Dark Spots and the Charcoal Terrain

Some parts of Pluto's surface, such as the region known as Cthulhu Macula, appear almost pitch-black. This darkness can be attributed to the high concentration of tholins in these regions. Over time, as tholins accumulate and undergo further reactions, they can produce a dense, dark residue.

Furthermore, Pluto's surface consists of a mix of water ice and frozen nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide. The interaction between these compounds and solar radiation, combined with the presence of tholins, results in the varied terrains and colors we see.

What Does the Color of Pluto Tell Us?

The hues that cover Pluto are more than just a pretty face; they also tell a tale about the evolutionary path that the dwarf planet has taken and offer clues about how it is now functioning.

• Age and Composition of the Surface: The different types of terrain and the colors they have can provide scientists with information about the age of the area as well as its compositional history. For instance, topographies that are flatter and have a lower number of impact craters are indicators of comparatively newer surfaces, which have been modified by geologic processes both within and beyond.
• Atmospheric Dynamics: The existence of blue hazes and tholins gives information on Pluto's atmospheric dynamics, revealing that Pluto's atmosphere is active and that it hosts a variety of complicated chemical processes despite Pluto's great distance from the Sun.
• Climate Insights: The ever-changing color patterns of Pluto can reveal information on the planet's temperature as well as its four distinct seasons. The motion of Pluto around the Sun has an effect on the sublimation and deposition of the surface ices, which in turn has an effect on the coloring of the planet.

The final word

In a world brimming with wondrous things, Pluto stands out not just for its long and eventful past but also for the tales that may be inferred from the colors that cover it. Even at the cold borders of our solar system, there is such a bright display of chemistry and beauty. This is a monument to the wondrous nature of the universe, which can be seen in the fact that it exists.

The color palette of Pluto, which consists of reds, blues, and blacks, is not only a delight for the eyes but also a continually growing scientific problem. It serves to remind us of the innumerable secrets that are hidden in the vastness of space. Each tone, each gradation, contributes to a more in-depth comprehension of the dwarf planet and, by extension, the cosmos of which we are a part.

1. Why is Pluto reddish in color?

Pluto's reddish hue can be attributed to compounds called tholins. These are formed when ultraviolet radiation from the Sun interacts with methane in Pluto's atmosphere, triggering chemical reactions. These tholins then precipitate to Pluto's surface, giving it its unique reddish tint.

2. What causes the blue haze in Pluto's atmosphere?

The blue hazes in Pluto’s atmosphere result from chemical reactions involving nitrogen and methane. When tiny particles within this haze scatter sunlight, they produce the mesmerizing blue tints. The exact reasons behind the formation of these blue hazes are still being researched.

3. Why are certain regions of Pluto so dark, almost black?

Some regions on Pluto, such as the Cthulhu Macula, appear almost pitch-black due to a high concentration of tholins. Over time, these tholins can accumulate and undergo further reactions, producing a dense, dark residue on the surface.

4. Does Pluto's color change over time?

Yes, the patterns and colors on Pluto can shift due to various factors such as its orbital position and internal geologic processes. As Pluto orbits the Sun, the sublimation and deposition of its surface ices can change, which can influence its coloration.

5. How did we obtain detailed images and data about Pluto's colors and surface features?

Detailed images and data about Pluto were primarily obtained by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, which flew by Pluto in 2015. This mission provided unprecedented views of Pluto, revealing its complex terrains, colors, and atmospheric properties.

What is Pluto Made Of

We can only guess what Pluto is made out of. Pluto is a very tiny small planet that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Even if you use regular telescopes, you will only see a small dot. Therefore, the astronomers have used the world’s biggest telescopes to study and guess what Pluto is made out of. From their observations, they have guessed that it is made out of 98% nitrogen ice, with some methane and carbon monoxide. The ice that is covering Pluto is reflecting and making Pluto to appear very bright. The atmosphere is very thin which is mostly made of nitrogen gas. Astronomers also believe that there are possible storms and clouds on Pluto. When Pluto is closest to the Sun, the materials in its layer evaporate and form an atmosphere around the dwarf planet. When it’s further away from the Sun, the atmosphere freezes and becomes a surface.

Astronomers are also making predictions that Pluto probably has a rocky core surrounded by a shell of ice. Pluto’s density is about 2.0 g/cm3, which makes the interior to be 50-70% rock and 30-50% ice. Also, the decaying radioactive elements inside will probably make the rock and ice move around. However, this is just an approximate guess. Pluto is the only planet that was not observed by a spacecraft. With the current technology, they can only observe Pluto from far away with a telescope. However, NASA has announced that they will be sending a spacecraft by 2015 to observe Pluto.

When Was Pluto Discovered

Being so far away from earth, Pluto was discovered much later than many other moons. Pluto was first discovered by Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona in February 18th, 1930. After Uranus and Neptune were discovered, astronomers started to predict that there are more planets out there in Solar System. Furthermore, they have discovered that those two planets were affected by the gravity of an unknown object in the solar system. Therefore, the director of Lowell Observatory, Vesto Melvin Slipher started a project to find more planets. He assigned Clyde to find the next planet, which they named Planet X.

Clyde worked hard to find Planet X. The key tool that he used was a blink comparator. This tool allowed him to compare two photos of the night sky. He tried to look for any object that has jumped from one night to another night by comparing two pictures. On February 18th, 1930, he observed a dim object in the right orbit. He finally discovered Planet X. After the discovery, it was time to give a name for Planet X. Venetia Burney, an 11-year old British school girl, gave the name Pluto to Planet X. It was named after the Roman god of the underworld.

The Mass of Pluto

Pluto is tiny - but what do we know of its mass. Pluto is a very tiny planet in space. Even if you observe the sky with the largest telescopes, it appears as a tiny dot. Furthermore, there is so little information about Pluto, so it’s hard to determine its mass by just looking and studying it. Therefore, the only method that can be used to measure its mass is its brightness. Astronomers have been working hard to find out the mass by knowing how bright it is. Through many studies, the astronomers have discovered that there are large quantities of methane ice on its surface. Therefore, Pluto had to be very bright. Since it was very bright, the astronomers guessed that it was larger than Mercury or the Earth’s Moon.

However, this prediction was proven wrong by James Christy. In 1978, James discovered Pluto’s moon, Charon. It is easy to find out the precise mass once the astronomers find the planet’s moon. They can use Newton’s formulation of Kepler’s Law to calculate the mass once there is a system where two objects, Pluto and Charon, are orbiting one another. After the calculation, the mass came out to be a number that was much smaller than astronomer’s prediction. Newton’s formulation gave 1.31 x 1022 kg, which is only 0.24%, the mass of Earth. Later on, with more precise observations, the astronomers found out that the diameter of Pluto is 2,390 km across.

What Happened To The 9th Planet?

Pluto met its fate in 2006 when it was voted to be declassified In 2006, the definition of a planet was officially defined. One of the criteria of the definition stated that a planet had to have cleared its orbital path of debris. Pluto's orbit has thousands of small debris present. So, this last piece of criteria was the reason Pluto has to be reclassified as a dwarf planet. We must keep in mind that many people remember the days when Pluto was classified as a planet. However, as technology has improved, so too has our ability to find objects in space. Pluto is actually so small that other satellites in the solar system are bigger than it. And if Pluto was continued to be classified as a planet - then several other objects would have to be named a planet. For these reasons, Pluto took on the new classification as a dwarf planet which will continue to include additional objects.

The International Astronomical Union was the committee which decided that Pluto would no longer be considered the 9th planet in our solar system. There were about 2,500 astronomers who voted on the new classification for Pluto. And while not everyone agreed - the consensus was to no longer call Pluto a planet. Right now there is not a plan to add any other Planets so we will continue to have 8 planets in our solar system. However, this could certainly change at some point in the future.