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Masses and densities of Pluto and Charon

1993; Institute of Physics; Volume: 105; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1086/116610

1538-3881

G. W. Null, W. M. Owen, S. P. Synnott,

Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation

view Abstract Citations (43) References (28) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Masses and Densities of Pluto and Charion Null, G. W. ; Owen, W. M. ; Synnott, S. P. Abstract We have analyzed HST Wide Field Camera CCD images of Pluto, Charon, and a background star to observe Pluto's barycentric motion and to determine the individual masses and bulk densities of Pluto and Charon. The most fundamental new result was an accurate solution for a previously undetermined parameter, the Charon/Pluto mass ratio q; the new solution is q = 0.0837 +/- 0.0147. Significant accuracy improvements by almost a factor of two were obtained for Charon's orbital semimajor axis, a = 19,405 +/- 86 km and the Pluto system mass of 1.401 +/- 0.019 x 10 exp 8 inverse solar masses. The Pluto and Charon masses were (13.10 +/- 0.24) x 10 exp 24 g and (1.10 +/- 0.18) x 10 exp 24 g, respectively. Computed densities depend strongly on the assumed radius values. The density of Pluto is 2.13 +/- 0.04 g/cu cm and that of Charon is 1.30 +/- 0.23 g/cu cm. Publication: The Astronomical Journal Pub Date: June 1993 DOI: 10.1086/116610 Bibcode: 1993AJ....105.2319N Keywords: Charon; Density (Mass/Volume); Planetary Mass; Pluto (Planet); Astrometry; Mass Ratios; Planetary Orbits; PLUTO; SATELLITES; CHARON; PLUTO-CHARON SYSTEM; MASS; DENSITY; RADIUS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS; HST SATELLITE; CCD METHODS; PROCEDURE; GEOMETRY; ALBEDO; ORBITAL ELEMENTS; PARAMETERS; ANALYSIS; Lunar and Planetary Exploration; Pluto; Satellites of Pluto; PLANETS AND SATELLITES: INDIVIDUAL: PLUTO; CHARION full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (1) MAST (1) ESA (1)