Pluto

Pluto is a dwarf planet located in the Kuiper Belt, a region of the solar system that contains many small icy bodies. It was previously considered the ninth planet in our solar system, but in 2006, the International Astronomical Union reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet due to its size and its orbit.

Characteristics of Pluto:

• Orbital Period: 248 Earth years
• Equatorial Diameter: 2,377 kilometers
• Surface Temperature: -375 to -400 degrees Fahrenheit
• Atmosphere: Thin and composed primarily of nitrogen, with traces of methane and carbon monoxide
• Moons: Pluto has five known moons, the largest of which is Charon

Key Facts about Pluto:

1. Discovery: Pluto was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930 at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona.
2. Composition: It is primarily composed of rock and ice, similar to the composition of other Kuiper Belt objects.
3. Surface Features: Pluto's surface is varied, with plains, mountains, and a large heart-shaped region known as Tombaugh Regio.
4. New Horizons Mission: In 2015, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft made a historic flyby of Pluto, providing the first close-up images and data of the dwarf planet.

Study Guide Questions:

1. What is the current classification of Pluto in our solar system?
2. What is the orbital period of Pluto?
3. How was Pluto's classification changed in 2006?
4. Who discovered Pluto, and when was it discovered?
5. What are some key characteristics of Pluto's surface?
6. Which spacecraft conducted a flyby of Pluto in 2015, and what did it discover?