Pluto-Charon system

A composite of 13x13 arcsec wide images taken with the adaptive optics camera NACO on Yepun, one of the Unit Telescopes of ESO's VLT (Paranal). The images were taken in the K-band (2.2 microns) from about three hours to about one hour before the occultation. All images were centred on Pluto and Charon, the double object visible near the centre, with a separation of about 0.9 arcsec. Because of the system's motion, the occulted star, at the right of Pluto and Charon, appears as a dotted trail, and so does another star in the lower left corner.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso0602b
Type:Observation
Release date:4 January 2006
Related releases:eso0602
Size:1442 x 1554 px

About the Object

Name:Charon, Pluto
Type:Solar System : Planet : Satellite
Solar System : Interplanetary Body : Dwarf planet
Category:Solar System

Image Formats

Large JPEG
339.7 KB
Screensize JPEG
147.8 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
134.4 KB
1280x1024
203.5 KB
1600x1200
264.5 KB
1920x1200
286.9 KB
2048x1536
380.7 KB

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Infrared
K
2.2 μmVery Large Telescope
NACO