Dwarf planet 134340 Pluto

[Guy Wells]

 

134340 Pluto is a dwarf planet that resides within the Kuiper belt, currently a little over 32 AU (4.9 billion km) from the Earth.
Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, but actually appeared in images some 21 years earlier. Over 100 years ago the power of imaging was apparent.
In 2015, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft visited Pluto and its largest Moon Charon, revolutionizing our understanding of this distant world.

Pluto, mag +14.7, is currently located in the constellation of Sagittarius. It was at an altitude of 15 degrees.

Pluto and Charon, imaged by New Horizons: https://www.nasa.gov/…/thumbnails/image/nh-pluto-charon-v2-…
Further information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto

[Cozzy]

Guy

thanks for sharing, it's great to get plenty of background information and links for those less Knowledgeable (like myself) to peruse through at leisure. 

 

Tim

[johnfosteruk]

Terrific image Guy, love the write up too.

[Macavity]

Frustrating that Pluto is in (crowded) Sagittarius really? About a mag
fainter than Triton (which I can fairly easily "Video Astronomize")! 

Certainly wouldn't want to drag the whole scope + stuff down
the road for a good low horizon! Shame the planets seem to be
conspiring to place themselves in inconvenient places these days.