images

Pluto and Charon compared - Artist view

by

Don Dixon/Novapix

Reference

a-plu99-00007

Date

2007-01-07

Pluto and its moon Charon are shown to correct relative scale (but they are much farther apart than is apparent here). Pluto appears to be a kind of giant comet. It's surface may be covered with reddish organic compounds emitted by low-pressure geysers. Charon, however, may be an inert ball of ice.