Atmosphere of Pluto

Planets and Dwarf Planets

Pluto's atmosphere is a gaseous layer composed mainly of nitrogen, with smaller amounts of methane and carbon monoxide released as surface ices sublimate. It contains layered haze that may form when high-energy radiation acts on these gases. Its surface pressure, measured by New Horizons in 2015, was about 1 Pa. The atmosphere undergoes strong seasonal changes that are not completely understood.

Main component: Nitrogen (N2)
Surface pressure: About 1 Pa (10 μbar) in 2015
Close-range study: New Horizons, 2015

Sources and credits

Article: Atmosphere of Pluto (English Wikipedia)
Wikidata: Q3628984
Text: Card text is adapted from the English Wikipedia article by an automated summary. Wikipedia content is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for its contributors. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Article history and contributors
Illustration: By NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI. Public domain · File page on Wikimedia Commons
NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI, http://www.nasa.gov/nh/nh-finds-blue-skies-and-water-ice-on-pluto
Modifications: Resized and converted to WebP
Popularity: 40 median daily views (Wikimedia Pageviews API (all-access, user agent))

Kosmora is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation.