|
Wednesday, 20 December 2006 21:46 |
Formerlly known as the smallest and outermost planet of the Solar System, Pluto has a mottled surface with light and dark regions, evidence of polar caps. As of August 2006 Pluto was no longer classed as a planet, its details are as follows nevertheless...
DATA Diameter: 2324km (1444miles) Mass: (Earth=1) 0.002 Volume: (Earth=1) 0.01 Density: (water=1) 2.03 Orbital Period: 247.7 Earth years Rotation Period: 6375 Earth days Av. Surface Temp: -230°C (-382°F) Pluto
The surface of Pluto is covered in icy deposits consisting of 98% nitrogen, with traces of methane; it is thought very likely that the planet a lso has water, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Pluto's moon, Charon, is so large that many Earth scientists class the two objects as a double planetary feature.
|