Pluto is a dwarf planet in the far reaches of our solar system. It was considered the ninth planet for decades. However, it has been reclassified as a dwarf planet. You may be wondering how far away Pluto is from Earth.
It is an icy world with interesting topography such as valleys, craters and mountains.
Its position in the solar system’s far reaches means it is far from Earth. This has led many people to ask exactly how far away from Earth it is.
Although there is a great distance between Earth and Pluto it isn’t as far as a light year. Read this article to find out exactly how far Earth is from Pluto!
New Horizons
The image of Pluto above was taken by the New Horizons spacecraft. This mission launched in 2006 before getting a gravity-assisted boost from Jupiter in 2007. The distance to the dwarf planet is so vast that it didn’t arrive until eight years later.
During the fly-by not only did the spacecraft provide stunning images but it also provided much scientific information. Many surprises have arisen from the gathered information.
The spacecraft has now entered a new phase of exploring other Kuiper belt objects.
Pluto’s Distance From Earth
The distance between Pluto and Earth fluctuates a little. This is because planets don’t orbit around the sun at the same rate and their orbits aren’t perfectly circular.
Due to orbital mechanics, the distance between Pluto and the Earth changes with time.
Pluto’s orbit is inconsistent and gives a large range of distances. For example, Pluto’s distance from the Sun can range from 30 to 49 astronomical units (AU.) This is due to its highly elliptical orbit and because the plane it orbits in is inclined to what the planets occupy.
An AU is a measure of distance used in space exploration. It is equivalent to 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) which is the distance between the Earth and the Sun.
However, Pluto is less than a light-year away from Earth, even at the longest distance.
Let’s look at this range.
The Farthest Distance Between Pluto And Earth
This occurs when Pluto and Earth are on opposite sides of the Sun from each other. This distance is around 4.7 billion miles (7.5 billion kilometers)
The Smallest Distance Between Pluto And Earth
This occurs when both planets are on the same side as the Sun. Pluto can be closer to the Sun during this time than Neptune! This distance is around 2.66 billion miles (4.3 billion kilometers).
As you can see, this is nearly half the furthest distance between the two.
The Average Distance Between Pluto And Earth
Due to the wide range of possible distances between Pluto and Earth, an average is often quoted.
On average, the dwarf planet is 3.1 billion miles (5 billion kilometers) from Earth. This is roughly 0.000525 light-years or 4.6 light hours.
While that is far, two spacecraft are farther from Earth. At the time of writing Voyager 2 was at 12.4 billion miles (18.5 light hours ) from Earth. Even farther away is Voyager 1 at 14.9 billion miles (21.6 light hours). Both were launched nearly 46 years ago.
How Far is the Edge of the Solar System?
We will address this question in reference to the Sun to simplify the explanation.
The edge of the Solar System can be defined as the point where the solar wind stops. This is called the heliopause. Solar wind is the stream of particles that is emitted by the Sun. The distance to the heliopause fluctuates due to the effect of the interstellar medium.
At its closest point the distance to the heliopause is 11 billion miles (18 billion km). This equates to 16.4 light hours.
If you have been paying attention, you may have noticed that both of the Voyager spacecraft are farther than the heliopause. They are the first human-made objects to leave the Solar System.
Can Pluto Be Seen in a Beginner Telescope?
Viewing Pluto with a beginner telescope is possible if the seeing conditions are ideal. You will need a telescope with at least a 6″ aperture, but an 8″ would be better. The other essential component is observing the body from a dark sky location. Also, it is recommended to attempt the observation when it is in opposition (i.e., closest to Earth).
Currently, Pluto is currently in opposition towards the end of July each year.
You will need a larger aperture telescope if you are under sub-optimal skies.
Unfortunately, Pluto is too dim to observe in a city. To find this elusive object, we recommend traveling to a dark sky location.
How Far Are The Planets From Earth?
There are eight planets in our solar system, including Earth. The solar system is also full of smaller bodies such as comets, asteroids, and even dwarf planets such as Pluto.
Although not considered a planet anymore, Pluto is often referred to in the same way as the eight planets, and it has one of the largest distances from the Sun and Earth.
But how far are the other planets from Earth? In this table, we will list their average distances from Earth. Like the distance between Earth and Pluto, the length of these distances can fluctuate. The table provides links to similar articles about other planets.
Remember, Earth is the third planet from the sun, with Mercury and Venus being first and second respectively! This is why Venus and Mars are both closer to Earth than Mercury.
Although these are the average distances, there can be significant variations in the distance between Earth and any of these planets on any given day. Some planets have elliptical orbits, significantly affecting the distances.
Why Is Pluto Not A Planet?
Depending on your age, you may have been taught in science class that the solar system has nine planets and that Pluto was one of these.
Pluto was discovered in 1930 and was named after the Roman god of the underworld. At the time, it was believed to be a planet as it shared many characteristics of the other planets that had already been discovered.
However, in 2006 it was reclassified as a dwarf planet. To be classified as a planet an object must: orbit a star (e.g. the Sun), have enough mass for gravity to form a sphere and be large enough to clear its orbit of smaller objects (What is a Planet?). While the dwarf planet satisfied the first two criteria, it has failed to clear the other objects from its orbit.
As a result, the solar system shrank from nine planets to eight, and many school textbooks needed to be quickly updated.
Pluto is within the Kuiper Belt. The Kuiper Belt is a donut-shaped region of space beyond Neptune that is full of icy celestial bodies.
The Kuiper Belt is believed to contain millions of icy objects. These are Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) or trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). Pluto is also an icy object, leading to its reclassification as a dwarf planet instead of a full planet.
Pluto’s Stats
Let’s take a closer look at some of Pluto’s statistics.
Pluto has a radius of only 715 miles (1,151 km) and is around 1,400 miles (2253 km) wide. This is half the width of the United States.
Its surface temperature is -387°F (-232°C)
It has five known moons
Pluto’s largest moon is half its size
One Pluto day lasts 153 hours
One Pluto year lasts 248 Earth years
Final Thoughts
In this article, we learned that although there is a great distance between Pluto and Earth, it is only a fraction of a light-year. In fact, the two bodies are only 4.6 light-hours apart.
The distance between them can vary greatly depending on their orbits and positions.
Pluto is no longer considered a planet because it has not cleared other objects from its orbit.
Hi, my name is Jason Anderson, and I am a Physics Professor. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated with space, the universe, the moon, you name it. I spent hours and hours at the planetarium close to my hometown, wondering what else could be out in the universe.
Since then, I’ve been an avid stargazer and astronomer, and love nothing more than spending my time charting stars, observing planets, and finding constellations.
This is why I decided to start Telescope Guru. I only wish to share this fun pastime with the world. With this site, I hope to answer all of your questions relating to astronomy, telescopes, and stargazing.
