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Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most- massive known object to directly orbit the Sun .
The timeline of discovery of Solar System planets and their natural satellites charts the progress of the discovery of new bodies over history. Each object is listed in chronological order of its discovery (multiple dates occur when the moments of imaging, observation, and publication differ), identified through its various designations (including temporary and permanent schemes), and the ...
The geology of Pluto consists of the characteristics of the surface, crust, and interior of Pluto. Because of Pluto's distance from Earth, in-depth study from Earth is difficult. Many details about Pluto remained unknown until 14 July 2015, when New Horizons flew through the Pluto system and began transmitting data back to Earth. [1]
The second full orbit of Neptune around the Sun since its discovery in 1846. 2177 "First Plutonian anniversary" of Pluto's discovery, given its orbit is just under 248 Earth years. 2178 January 28 2182 September 24 With an estimated probability of 0.04%, asteroid 101955 Bennu could hit Earth. 2185 Triple conjunction Mars–Saturn [56] 2186 July 16
2015 – Dawn spacecraft enters orbit around the dwarf planet Ceres making detailed measurements. [246] 2015 – New Horizons spacecraft flies by Pluto, providing the first ever sharp images of its surface, and its largest moon Charon. [247] 2017 – 'Oumuamua, the first known interstellar object crossing the Solar System, is identified. [248]
Nix is a natural satellite of Pluto, with a diameter of 49.8 km (30.9 mi) across its longest dimension. [3] It was discovered along with Pluto's outermost moon Hydra on 15 May 2005 by astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope, [1] and was named after Nyx, the Greek goddess of the night. [10]
First crewed spacecraft to leave Earth orbit, first crewed lunar orbiter [129] [134] [135] Venera 5: 5 January 1969 Venus atmospheric probe [18] [136] Venera 6: 10 January 1969 Venus atmospheric probe [18] [137] Mariner 6: 25 February 1969 Mars flyby [138] [139] Apollo 9: 3 March 1969 Crewed lunar lander (LEM) flight test in Earth orbit [129 ...
A map of Pluto showing the names officially approved by the IAU as of 12 February 2025, along with many informal names in bold and italics. This is a list of named geological features on Pluto , identified by scientists working with data from the New Horizons spacecraft.