The satellite of Pluto. (original) (raw)

NASA/ADS

Abstract

Astrometric and photographic observations of Pluto are reported which indicate that the planet appears to have a faint satellite with an orbital period of 6.3867 days and a mean distance of about 17,000 km. Adopted orbital elements are given, and an ephemeris is computed for the times of all positive observations. A mass of approximately 0.0017 earth mass is obtained for Pluto plus the satellite, and the mean density of the planet is estimated to be about 0.7 times that of water. The results suggest that Pluto consists predominantly of frozen volatiles and is similar to the satellites of the outer major planets, that the satellite revolution and the planet rotation are synchronous, and that the diameter of the satellite would be around 0.4 that of the planet, while its mass would be 0.05 to 0.10 that of Pluto.

Publication:

The Astronomical Journal

Pub Date:

August 1978

DOI:

10.1086/112284

Bibcode:

1978AJ.....83.1005C

Keywords:

• Astrometry;
• Natural Satellites;
• Orbit Calculation;
• Planetary Orbits;
• Pluto (Planet);
• Astronomical Photography;
• Photographic Plates;
• Satellite Orbits;
• SATELLITES;
• PLUTO;
• PLANETS;
• ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS;
• ORBITS;
• Lunar and Planetary Exploration; Satellites of Pluto;
• Pluto Satellite