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comment by Fluffy017
Fluffy017  ·  3456 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pluto in Full color

Seeing Pluto in this light makes me curious what's on the surface.

Although knowing that Pluto is tidally locked with it's moon, Charon, I've always been curious what a time-lapse shot from the surface Pluto, looking at Charon, would look like.

Although I know I'll never live to see it (not in the depressing sense, it just isn't anywhere CLOSE to feasible for a manned mission to the misunderstood planet with our current tech), I hope my great-great-great grandkids get to enjoy something like that.





ixnar  ·  3456 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I imagine it looks a bit like how the Earth looks from the surface of the moon - undulating around a fixed point in the sky. In fact you can see for yourself if you install Celestia. Go to a point on Pluto from which Charon is visible, track Pluto's orbit (Y), enable Options->Show Grids->Grid: Horizontal, accelerate time (L) and you should see Charon bobbing up and down about 20° along the ecliptic.

cybergarp  ·  3456 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I found this article describing what they think the chemical composition is: http://www.universetoday.com/121158/red-faced-pluto-full-of-surprises/

To quote: "Pluto’s coloration is likely caused by hydrocarbon molecules called tholins that are formed when cosmic rays and solar ultraviolet light interact with methane in Pluto’s atmosphere."