Something Feels Wrong with Pluto and Its Moon

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Scientists have noticed something strange about Pluto and its big moon, Charon, and it's making them rethink a lot! Unlike most moons, Charon is almost half the size of Pluto, so they actually orbit around a point in space between them, almost like they're twin planets. On top of that, Pluto has a reddish "heart" and Charon has a dark "cap" at its pole, both of which are unusual and still a bit mysterious. The red color on Pluto comes from chemicals called tholins that are formed by sunlight hitting gases, but why Charon has that dark spot is still puzzling scientists. Plus, Pluto and Charon always show the same face to each other, so one side of Pluto never gets to see its moon! This unique system is giving researchers tons of clues about how small planets and moons form and change over time.

Animation is created by Bright Side.

Added on 08 Jun 2025
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