PLUTO

Pluto is the baby out of the planets! It is the smallest and furthest away from the sun, and if an aircraft was travelling at a speed of 1,810 Km/h (1,125 mph) it would take about 370 years to travel from Earth to Pluto.

It was discovered in 1930. Its mass is much larger than Earth! which is surprising, considering that Earth is three times bigger. Even the moon is larger!!!!!

Pluto only has one moon - Charon. It was named after the character in Greek mythology who was a ferryman in the realm of Pluto. It was a happy coincidence for Jim Christy, its discoverer, that the name was so like that of his wife Charlene. Charon has a diameter of 1,186 Km (736 miles), more than half of Pluto.

Pluto is known to have a density just over twice that of water, indicating that it contains a rocky core. Its mantle is made, probably, of water and Methane. Its atmosphere probably consists of methane in a gaseous form, together with heavy gases such as nitrogen, argon, carbon monoxide and oxygen.

Its surface temperature is around -216°C (-355°F).