Pluto's Planet information (Status)

Pluto, formerly classified as the ninth planet of our solar system, is now considered a dwarf planet. Here is some information about Pluto:

Discovery and Classification: Pluto was discovered on February 18, 1930, by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh. It was considered the ninth planet in our solar system until 2006 when the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined the definition of a planet and reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet.

Orbit and Distance: Pluto orbits the Sun in an elliptical orbit, which is highly inclined and eccentric compared to the other planets. Its average distance from the Sun is about 3.67 billion miles (5.91 billion kilometers). Due to its eccentric orbit, Pluto's distance from the Sun can vary significantly during its 248-year-long orbit.

Size and Composition: Pluto has a diameter of approximately 1,473 miles (2,370 kilometers), making it smaller than Earth's Moon. It has a rocky core surrounded by a mantle of water ice and a thin atmosphere composed mainly of nitrogen, with traces of methane and carbon monoxide.

Moons: Pluto has five known moons: Charon, Nix, Hydra, Kerberos, and Styx. Charon is the largest and closest moon to Pluto, and it is so large compared to Pluto that the center of mass between the two is outside Pluto's surface, causing them to orbit each other around a common center.

Exploration: The New Horizons spacecraft, launched by NASA in 2006, made a flyby of Pluto in July 2015, providing the most detailed images and data we have of the dwarf planet. It revealed diverse surface features, including mountains, valleys, and a thin atmosphere.

Atmosphere: Pluto's atmosphere consists mainly of nitrogen, with traces of methane and carbon monoxide. It is very thin and extends only a few hundred kilometers above the surface. During Pluto's closest approach to the Sun, the heat causes some of the frozen gases on its surface to vaporize and create a temporary atmosphere.

Seasons: Like Earth, Pluto experiences seasons, but due to its highly elliptical orbit, they are much more extreme. As Pluto moves farther away from the Sun, its atmosphere freezes and collapses onto the surface, resulting in a period of "winter."

It's important to note that our understanding of Pluto continues to evolve as new data is collected.