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Pluto has a moderately eccentric and inclined orbit, ranging from 30 to 49 astronomical units (4.5 to 7.3 billion kilometres; 2.8 to 4.6 billion miles) from the Sun. Light from the Sun takes 5.5 hours to reach Pluto at its orbital distance of 39.5 AU (5.91 billion km; 3.67 billion mi).
For celestial bodies in the solar system, the synodic period (with respect to Earth and the Sun) differs from the tropical period owing to Earth's motion around the Sun. For example, the synodic period of the Moon 's orbit as seen from Earth , relative to the Sun , is 29.5 mean solar days, since the Moon's phase and position relative to the Sun ...
This is because the distance between Earth and the Sun is not fixed (it varies between 0.983 289 8912 and 1.016 710 3335 au) and, when Earth is closer to the Sun , the Sun's gravitational field is stronger and Earth is moving faster along its orbital path. As the metre is defined in terms of the second and the speed of light is constant for all ...
The first two objects that were detected and had their Earth-MOID calculated before Earth impact were the small asteroids 2008 TC 3 and 2014 AA. 2014 AA is listed with a MOID of 0.00000045 AU (67 km; 42 mi), [5] and is the second smallest MOID calculated for an Apollo asteroid after 2020 QY 2 with an Earth-MOID of 0.00000039 AU (58 km; 36 mi).
Simpler models from the early 2000s simulating how Pluto and Charon came to be in their current orientation supported the idea that some object collided with Pluto to create Charon.
The minimum separation between the two bodies overall is 17 AU, while the minimum separation between Pluto and Uranus is just 11 AU [31] (see Pluto's orbit for detailed explanation and graphs). The next largest body in a similar 2:3 resonance with Neptune, called a plutino , is the probable dwarf planet Orcus .
Faraway Pluto moves back into Aquarius, again, Jan. 20, after a back-and-forth between the air sign and Capricorn, its bordering earth sign in the zodiac wheel. Here's what to know When did Pluto ...
A Pluto orbiter/lander/sample return mission was proposed in 2003. The plan included a twelve-year trip from Earth to Pluto, mapping from orbit, multiple landings, a warm water probe, and possible in situ propellant production for another twelve-year trip back to Earth with samples. Power and propulsion would come from the bimodal MITEE nuclear ...