at the edge of the solar system Pluto pushes the boundaries of our
Pluto pushes the boundaries of our
Pluto pushes the boundaries of our understanding of the universe nestled
understanding of the universe nestled
understanding of the universe nestled within the far-flung Kuiper belt the
within the far-flung Kuiper belt the
within the far-flung Kuiper belt the dwarf planet is believed to be one of
dwarf planet is believed to be one of
dwarf planet is believed to be one of countless celestial objects left over
countless celestial objects left over
countless celestial objects left over from the formation of the solar system
from the formation of the solar system
from the formation of the solar system while it is one of the Kuiper belts
while it is one of the Kuiper belts
while it is one of the Kuiper belts largest bodies Pluto is only half as
largest bodies Pluto is only half as
largest bodies Pluto is only half as wide as the contiguous United States and
wide as the contiguous United States and
wide as the contiguous United States and about two-thirds the size of Earth’s
about two-thirds the size of Earth’s
about two-thirds the size of Earth’s moon making it easily dwarfed by the
moon making it easily dwarfed by the
moon making it easily dwarfed by the solar system’s eighth true planets this
solar system’s eighth true planets this
solar system’s eighth true planets this tiny world takes 248 earth years to
tiny world takes 248 earth years to
tiny world takes 248 earth years to orbit the Sun and it does so from an
orbit the Sun and it does so from an
orbit the Sun and it does so from an average distance of over 3.6 billion
average distance of over 3.6 billion
average distance of over 3.6 billion miles or 40 times the space between
miles or 40 times the space between
miles or 40 times the space between Earth and the Sun such a distance from
Earth and the Sun such a distance from
Earth and the Sun such a distance from the solar system’s main source of heat
the solar system’s main source of heat
the solar system’s main source of heat causes extreme temperatures on the dwarf
causes extreme temperatures on the dwarf
causes extreme temperatures on the dwarf planet surface between negative 375 and
planet surface between negative 375 and
planet surface between negative 375 and negative 400 degrees Fahrenheit the
negative 400 degrees Fahrenheit the
negative 400 degrees Fahrenheit the frigid temperatures play a crucial role
frigid temperatures play a crucial role
frigid temperatures play a crucial role in shaping the geological composition of
in shaping the geological composition of
in shaping the geological composition of Pluto its core likely made of rock and
Pluto its core likely made of rock and
Pluto its core likely made of rock and metals is encapsulated by a mantle made
metals is encapsulated by a mantle made
metals is encapsulated by a mantle made of ice the dwarf planet crust is made of
of ice the dwarf planet crust is made of
of ice the dwarf planet crust is made of rock material and other types of ice
rock material and other types of ice
rock material and other types of ice such as frozen carbon monoxide methane
such as frozen carbon monoxide methane
such as frozen carbon monoxide methane and nitrogen these frozen gases cover
and nitrogen these frozen gases cover
and nitrogen these frozen gases cover Pluto’s approximately 6.4 million square
Pluto’s approximately 6.4 million square
Pluto’s approximately 6.4 million square miles of surface area which is barely
miles of surface area which is barely
miles of surface area which is barely the size of Russia the icy terrain is
the size of Russia the icy terrain is
the size of Russia the icy terrain is much like Earth’s with polar ice caps
much like Earth’s with polar ice caps
much like Earth’s with polar ice caps valleys planes and craters it even has
valleys planes and craters it even has
valleys planes and craters it even has glaciers made of frozen nitrogen and
glaciers made of frozen nitrogen and
glaciers made of frozen nitrogen and frozen water on the surface makes giant
frozen water on the surface makes giant
frozen water on the surface makes giant floating mountains
such varied terrain is influenced by the
such varied terrain is influenced by the presence of weather patterns or an
presence of weather patterns or an
presence of weather patterns or an atmosphere Pluto’s atmosphere is thin
atmosphere Pluto’s atmosphere is thin
atmosphere Pluto’s atmosphere is thin and reaches a high altitude due to the
and reaches a high altitude due to the
and reaches a high altitude due to the dwarf planets low gravity which is only
dwarf planets low gravity which is only
dwarf planets low gravity which is only about 6% as strong as Earth’s the
about 6% as strong as Earth’s the
about 6% as strong as Earth’s the atmosphere is comprised of nitrogen and
atmosphere is comprised of nitrogen and
atmosphere is comprised of nitrogen and methane gases plus red hydrocarbon
methane gases plus red hydrocarbon
methane gases plus red hydrocarbon particles that scatter sunlight to give
particles that scatter sunlight to give
particles that scatter sunlight to give Pluto blue skies parts of the atmosphere
Pluto blue skies parts of the atmosphere
Pluto blue skies parts of the atmosphere may even freeze and fall like snow
floating high above the dwarf planet’s
floating high above the dwarf planet’s atmosphere are five moons the largest
atmosphere are five moons the largest
atmosphere are five moons the largest Charon is about half the size of Pluto
Charon is about half the size of Pluto
Charon is about half the size of Pluto the four other moons Nix Hydra Kerberos
the four other moons Nix Hydra Kerberos
the four other moons Nix Hydra Kerberos and Styx are much smaller while the a
and Styx are much smaller while the a
and Styx are much smaller while the a true planets were discovered by the
true planets were discovered by the
true planets were discovered by the mid-1800s Pluto was not spotted until
mid-1800s Pluto was not spotted until
mid-1800s Pluto was not spotted until 1930 Pluto named after the Roman god of
1930 Pluto named after the Roman god of
1930 Pluto named after the Roman god of the underworld was considered the ninth
the underworld was considered the ninth
the underworld was considered the ninth planet but in 2006 Pluto lost the status
planet but in 2006 Pluto lost the status
planet but in 2006 Pluto lost the status at the time worlds similar to Pluto were
at the time worlds similar to Pluto were
at the time worlds similar to Pluto were being discovered deeper in the Kuiper
being discovered deeper in the Kuiper
being discovered deeper in the Kuiper belt
belt
belt this initiated close scrutiny of Pluto
this initiated close scrutiny of Pluto
this initiated close scrutiny of Pluto and the definition of a planet the
and the definition of a planet the
and the definition of a planet the International Astronomical Union
International Astronomical Union
International Astronomical Union evaluated Pluto based on the
evaluated Pluto based on the
evaluated Pluto based on the characteristics necessary to be a true
characteristics necessary to be a true
characteristics necessary to be a true planet
planet
planet it must orbit the Sun is not a moon and
it must orbit the Sun is not a moon and
it must orbit the Sun is not a moon and has enough mass and gravitational pull
has enough mass and gravitational pull
has enough mass and gravitational pull to assume a round shape however it was
to assume a round shape however it was
to assume a round shape however it was the fourth characteristic that
the fourth characteristic that
the fourth characteristic that compromised Pluto’s status its inability
compromised Pluto’s status its inability
compromised Pluto’s status its inability to clear its orbit of debris so Pluto
to clear its orbit of debris so Pluto
to clear its orbit of debris so Pluto was reclassified and arguably demoted
was reclassified and arguably demoted
was reclassified and arguably demoted from being a true planet to a dwarf
from being a true planet to a dwarf
from being a true planet to a dwarf planet Pluto story represents our
planet Pluto story represents our
planet Pluto story represents our evolving understanding of the universe
evolving understanding of the universe
evolving understanding of the universe there is always more to discover and we
there is always more to discover and we
there is always more to discover and we are continuously reaching toward it
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