Pluto

Solar System Scratchpad [Boiler Plate]

Discovered after an extensive search for Planet X. Initially thought to be Earth size and dubbed the ninth planet, then continuously reduced in size as its brightness became clear and its large moon was discovered, until another object Eris was discovered in its region of space that was more massive than it, when it was demoted to a Dwarf Planet status. Considered by some a double dwarf planet due to its large moon. Also has three tiny moons and could support a ring system. First Kuiper Belt object discovered, in 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune. Target of New Horizons spacecraft. Its surface may contain organics.

Plutonian System

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Pluto

• Charon - Large moon of Pluto, contains a tenth of its mass, making it a double dwarf planet. Its surface is completely covered in water ice, possibly from geysers. This could imply that it has subsurface liquid water. Ammonia may be helping to keep this water liquid near the surface. Has only occulted a star twice, once in 1980, and again in 2005. Has 10% less rock than Pluto, suggesting it formed in a collision and coalesced with outer material, similar to Earth's moon. The impactors could have been each about half the size of the moon.
• Nix - Ss:Nix
• S/2011 P 1 - Ss:S/2011 P 1
• Hydra - Ss:Hydra

Web Pages

• http://www.space.com/43-pluto-the-ninth-planet-that-was-a-dwarf.html
• http://www.space.com/18563-pluto-temperature.html
• http://www.space.com/860-finding-pluto-tough-task-75-years.html
• http://www.space.com/6426-science-evolves-pluto.html
• http://www.space.com/18562-what-is-pluto-made-of.html

New Horizons in the News

NASA Solicits Plans for Mission (Dec 2000)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/12/001221073121.htm

Funding Approved (Apr 2003)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/04/030410073501.htm

To Launch with Minimal Plutonium (Oct 2004)

• http://www.space.com/400-horizons-set-launch-minimum-amount-plutonium.html

Shipped to Goddard for Pre-launch Tests (Jun 2005)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050614002310.htm

Approaching Launch (Nov 2005)

• http://www.space.com/1800-horizons-voyage-edge-solar-system.html

Just About to Launch (Jan 2006)

• http://www.space.com/1944-nasa-pluto-probe-set-flight.html

New Horizons Approaches Jupiter (Jan 2007)

• http://andys.wikia.com/wiki/Ss:Pluto#5_Years_After_Demotion_Still_Controversial_.28Aug_2011.29
• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070118133516.htm
• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070119144312.htm
• http://www.space.com/3365-pluto-bound-spacecraft-nab-speed-boost-jupiter-flyby.html

5 Year Into Voyage, Halfway There (Jan 2011)

• http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/19/5880257-five-years-of-flight-for-pluto-probe

Crosses Uranus' Orbit (Mar 2011)

• http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/news_center/news/20110318.php
• http://www.space.com/11171-nasa-spacecraft-passes-uranus-orbit.html
• http://news.discovery.com/space/pluto-bound-probe-sprints-across-uranus-orbit.html

Adjusts Course to Study New Moon (Aug 2011)

• http://www.dailycamera.com/science-environment/ci_18676246

In Home Stretch (Jan 2012)

• http://www.space.com/14289-nasa-pluto-spacecraft-horizons-anniversary.html

Proposal for Stamp (Feb 2012)

• http://www.space.com/14440-pluto-nasa-probe-stamp-petition.html

Moons and Rings Could Be Hazardous (Oct 2012)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121016163140.htm
• http://www.space.com/18087-pluto-moons-rings-risk-new-horizons.html

En Route (Nov 2012)

• http://www.space.com/18377-new-horizons.html
• http://www.space.com/10505-nasa-speediest-probe-gains-pluto.html

Pluto Planetary Status

See also Eris

Texas Sized KBO 1996 TL66 Found (1997)

• http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8MwdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PKYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6805%2C825800

1996 TO66 Found (1997)

• http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/pressinfo/1996TO66.html

Campaign Saved Pluto's Status as a Planet (1998)

• http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=297842

Pluto Safe From Demotion (1999)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/02/990202072542.htm

Scientists Respond to Not a Planet Claim (Feb 2001)

• http://www.space.com/1925-astronomer-responds-pluto-planet-claim.html

Ixion Discovered, Possibly Larger than Charon (Jul 2001)

• http://www.noao.edu/outreach/press/pr01/pr0110.html

Quaoar Size Measured, Larger than Ceres (Oct 2002)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/10/021008063710.htm

Orcus Discovered, Possibly Largest (Feb 2004)

• http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0402/20kuiper/

Sedna 2/3s Pluto's Size Discovered (Mar 2004)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040316072538.htm

Other KBOs May Be Smaller than First Proposed (Nov 2004)

See also 2002 AW197

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/11/041116234001.htm
• http://www.space.com/544-solar-system-surprise-view.html

First KBO Found Larger than Pluto, 10th Planet? (Jul 2005)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050729224136.htm
• http://www.space.com/1373-object-bigger-pluto-discovered-called-10th-planet.html

Defining Planet (Aug 2005)

• http://www.space.com/1387-defining-planet-newfound-world-forces-action.html

Thermal Emission Study "Confirms" Eris Larger than Pluto (Feb 2006)

• http://www.space.com/2004-study-confirms-10th-planet-larger-pluto.html

Hubble Finds Eris to be Only Slightly Larger than Pluto (Apr 2006)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060417131556.htm

Definition to Include All Round Objects Around Sun as Planets Proposed (Aug 2006)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060816082231.htm

Downgraded to a Dwarf Planet (Aug 2006)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060825003742.htm

Pluto Planet Expo (May 2007)

• http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=297855
  
• http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=297834
  
• http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=297843
  
• http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=297838
  
• http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=297842
  
• http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=297834
  
• http://www.pjstar.com/stories/051207/REG_BD69HRU6.017.php
  

Eris More Massive than Pluto (Jun 2007)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070617130655.htm

Plutoid Class Announced (Jun 2008)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080611094136.htm

Eris Could Be Smaller Than Pluto (Nov 2010)

See Eris, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, Sedna, Quaoar

• http://www.space.com/9553-pluto-planet-experts-weigh.html
• http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2011-01-12-dwarfplanets12_CV_N.htm
• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/science/space/11pluto.html?_r=2&ref=science

How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming Book (Jan 2011)

See also Eris, Haumea

• http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/12/pl_print_mikebrown/
• http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/13/NSGA1H4QJF.DTL&type=science
• http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1744/1
• http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/09/entertainment/la-ca-mike-brown-20110109
• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/books/review/Lord-t.html?_r=1&ref=books

5 Years After Demotion Still Controversial (Aug 2011)

• http://www.space.com/12709-pluto-dwarf-planet-decision-5-years-anniversary-iau.html
• http://www.space.com/12711-pluto-killer-mike-brown-dwarf-planets-interview.html

Moonlet and Ring Studies in the News

Pluto and Charon May Have Formed By Impact Like Earth/Moon (Feb 2005)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050214103330.htm

Hubble Finds Two New Moons (Nov 2005)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051031193030.htm

Kuiper Belt Moons Common (Jan 2006)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060111082456.htm

Discoverers Describe Discovery of Pluto's New Moons (Feb 2006)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060223085752.htm

Pluto Could Have Rings (Feb 2006)

• http://www.space.com/2075-pluto-rings.html

Pluto's Moons Get Ready for Their Closeup (Jun 2010)

• http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100519/full/news.2010.251.html

Fifth Anniversary of Nix and Hydra's Discovery (Jun 2011)

• http://www.space.com/12016-pluto-moons-nix-hydra-5-mysterious-solar-system.html

Fourth Moon Found (Jul 2011)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110720090505.htm
• http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2084606,00.html
• http://www.space.com/12388-dwarf-planet-pluto-changing-perceptions.html
• http://azdailysun.com/news/local/pluto-gets-a-fourth-moon/article_c83369e0-cc4c-53aa-b5c2-38512af3e7e6.html
• http://www.space.com/12374-pluto-moon-choice-cerberus-hell.html
• http://www.ocregister.com/news/moon-308952-discovered-planet.html
• http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/125893913.html
• http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/space-shuttle/Dwarf+planet+Pluto+casts+long+shadow/5131108/story.html
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/8651099/Astronomers-discover-tiny-fourth-moon-orbiting-Pluto-with-Hubble-telescope.html
• http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2011/07/hubble-points-to-plutos-fourth-moon/1
• http://www.space.com/12372-pluto-fourth-moon-nasa-spacecraft.html
• http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/20jul_p4/
• http://edition.cnn.com/2011/US/07/20/us.pluto.moon/
• http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2011/07/hubble-telescope-finds-another-moon-around-pluto/
• http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1107/20pluto/
• http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/125893913.html
• http://www.space.com/12356-pluto-fourth-moon-discovery-hubble-photo.html
• http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/20/us-space-pluto-idUSTRE76J4L020110720
• http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20719-fourth-moon-discovered-around-pluto.html
• http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jul/HQ_11-234_HST_Pluto_Moon.html
• http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/20/7119984-scientists-spot-plutos-fourth-moon
• http://news.discovery.com/space/hubble-spies-new-pluto-moon-110720.html
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14220620
• http://blogs.abcnews.com/scienceandsociety/2011/07/pluto-has-new-moon.html

Fifth Moon Found (Jul 2011)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120711123038.htm

New Horizons Adjusts Course to Study New Moon

• http://www.dailycamera.com/science-environment/ci_18676246

What to Name New Moon (Jul 2011)

• http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2011/07/what-to-name-plutos-new-moon/

Simulations Show Pluto Could Have Ring System (Aug 2011)

• http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/08/10/3290120.htm

Kerberos and Styx Named (Jul 2013)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130702123136.htm

Pluto Studies in the News

Solid Methane Confirmed and Other Surface and Atmosphere Composition (Aug 1993)

• http://www.sciencemag.org/content/261/5122/745.abstract

Pluto's Atmosphere Warmer than Previously Thought (Mar 2009)

• http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090304-pluto-atmosphere.html
• http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/press-rel/pr-2009/pr-08-09.html
• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090302133220.htm

Could Pluto Have a Subsurface Ocean? (Dec 2010)

• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/12/101216-pluto-ocean-solar-system-science-space/
• http://news.discovery.com/space/pluto-ocean-radioactive-decay-101221.html

Atmosphere Much Larger, Cometlike, and Contains Carbon Monoxide (Apr 2011)

• http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/04/21/3197581.htm
• http://news.discovery.com/space/pluto-has-a-strange-atmosphere-110420.html
• http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/04/plutos-expanding-atmosphere-conf.html?ref=hp
• http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1104/19pluto/
• http://www.space.com/11433-pluto-atmosphere-poisonous-carbon-monoxide.html
• http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/04/19/6496069-carbon-monoxide-found-in-plutos-air

Organics May be on Surface (Dec 2011)

• http://www.space.com/14006-planet-pluto-organic-molecules-hubble-photo.html

Surface Changes in Hubble Maps (Feb 2012)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100204234213.htm

Sharpest Ground Based Images Obtained (Sep 2012)

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120926213944.htm

Occultations in the News

Charon and Pluto Occult a Star (Jun 2011)

Pluto and Charon occults star Jun 23, then four days later, both Pluto and Hydra eclipse another star Jun 27

Preview

• http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/20/ng-field-notes-chasing-pluto-across-the-pacific/
• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/06/110622-pluto-stars-moons-occultation-watch-space-science/

Sophia Captures First Eclipse, Will Try Second One

• http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/SOFIA/11-21.html - Sofia Observes Pluto/Charon Eclipse
• http://www.space.com/12078-nasa-flying-telescope-pluto-shadow-sofia-occultation.html - Sofia Observes Pluto/Charon Eclipse, will
• http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/asd/2011/06/28/08.xml&headline=Sofia%20Views%20Stellar%20Occultation%20By%20Pluto

Other's Capture First Eclipse, Will Try Second One

• http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=space&id=news/asd/2011/06/28/08.xml&headline=Sofia%20Views%20Stellar%20Occultation%20By%20Pluto
• http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/25/ng-field-notes-for-round-2-pluto-chasers-trying-a-new-trick/ - National Geographic observes first eclipse
• http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/25/got-a-telescope-pluto-hunters-need-your-help/ - National Geographic Needs Help to View Second Eclipse
• http://communications.williams.edu/news/pluto-and-its-moons/ - William's College Observes Pluto/Charon Eclipse

Occultation to Be Viewed From Aircraft (Jul 2011)

• http://azdailysun.com/news/science/article_6164c99d-b93b-54df-b3ea-51078cd381cb.html

Misc

Pluto Gets a Name (1930)

http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=297834

Student Documentary at International Film Festival (Apr 2007)

http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2007/134.html

Pluto Features

• http://www.space.com/12692-dwarf-planets-solar-system-tour.html