Pluto : Discovery News

Hunting Pluto's Dangerous Rings

Posted by Ian O'Neill Fri Jan 27, 2012 02:46 PM ET | 0

If there is a ring system, it could spell doom for the speedy New Horizons probe when it flies by in 2015. Read more

Pluto-Bound Spacecraft Breaks New Record

Posted by Jason Major Tue Dec 6, 2011 11:11 AM ET | 0

NASA's New Horizons probe has achieved another milestone on its already historic mission to our solar system's erstwhile ninth planet: it is now the closest any spacecraft has ever come to Pluto. Read more

Pluto-Bound Spacecraft Breaks New Record

Will We Find Oceans On Pluto?

Posted by Ray Villard Wed Nov 30, 2011 01:01 PM ET | 0

Given the discoveries made on outer moons of the solar system, it is not too far-fetched to think that the icy dwarf planet Pluto could have subsurface oceans too. Read more

Pluto May Live in a Rough Neighborhood

Posted by Ian O'Neill Wed Nov 9, 2011 06:55 PM ET | 0

When NASA's New Horizons mission flies past Pluto in 2015, will the dwarf planet have a nasty surprise in store? Read more

Pluto, the Biggest Dwarf

Posted by Jason Major Sun Oct 16, 2011 10:48 PM ET | 0

There's a size war being waged at the outskirts of our solar system, and it looks like Pluto may come out as the reigning champ. Read more

Ice Giant Neptune's Fiery Glow

Posted by Jason Major Sun Sep 18, 2011 09:12 PM ET | 0

See cold, distant Neptune and its moon Triton as you've never seen them before -- through the eyes of the Keck infrared observatory. Read more

Remind Me Again, Why Isn't Pluto a Planet?

Posted by Mark Thompson Tue Jul 26, 2011 02:33 PM ET | 0

In light of the discovery of a fourth moon orbiting Pluto, Mark Thompson ponders what it takes to be called a "planet." Read more

Hubble Discovers New Pluto Moon

Posted by Irene Klotz Wed Jul 20, 2011 12:29 PM ET | 0

Pluto may have been demoted to dwarf planet status, but it's queen bee to a clutch of moons that now number four. Read more

Pluto's Atmosphere: Big, Poisonous and Comet-like

Posted by Ian O'Neill Wed Apr 20, 2011 04:19 PM ET | 0

The dwarf planet has shocked astronomers with its dynamic atmosphere -- previously undetected carbon monoxide has been discovered and it may even have a comet tail-like shape. Read more

Pluto-Bound Probe Sprints Across Uranus' Orbital Path

Posted by Ray Villard Fri Mar 18, 2011 01:51 PM ET | 0

The fastest man-made object ever built crosses the orbit of Uranus today on its nearly decade-long odyssey to the dwarf planet Pluto. Read more

Should the Cluttered Skies Demote Earth?

Posted by Ray Villard Wed Mar 2, 2011 01:35 PM ET | 0

If you want to be a purist, the plethora of nearby asteroids suggests that Earth is just a dwarf planet, like its distant cousin Pluto. Read more

A Universe Stranger Than We Can't Imagine

Posted by Mark Thompson Sun Feb 20, 2011 05:34 PM ET | 0

Ever looked up at the night sky and wondered: What is up there? Read more

Pluto May Host an Ocean

Posted by Irene Klotz Tue Dec 21, 2010 08:46 AM ET | 0

The dwarf planet's interior could contain a pool of liquid 120 miles beneath the surface. Read more

Pluto Might be Bigger, But Eris is More Massive

Posted by Ian O'Neill Fri Nov 12, 2010 03:35 AM ET | 0

During a rare occultation event, Eris was measured by telescopes in Chile and it turns out the dwarf planet behind Pluto's demotion may not be that big after all. Read more

Pluto Might be Bigger, But Eris is More Massive

Wake Up, Sleeping Pluto Probe

Posted by Irene Klotz Wed Nov 10, 2010 02:27 PM ET | 0

More than halfway through its 10-year, 3-billion-mile journey to Pluto, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is being roused from hibernation this week to relay tracking information back to Earth. Read more