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Science 7 June 1985:
Vol. 228. no. 4704, pp. 1193 - 1195
DOI: 10.1126/science.228.4704.1193
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Articles

The Detection of Eclipses in the Pluto-Charon System

RICHARD P. BINZEL 1, DAVID J. THOLEN 2, EDWARD F. TEDESCO 3, BONNIE J. BURATTI 3, and ROBERT M. NELSON 3

1 Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, Austin 78712
2 Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96822
3 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91109

The first eclipses between Pluto and its satellite ("Charon") were detected in January and February 1985, confirming the satellite's existence. Eclipses lasting a few hours will now occur at 3.2-day intervals for the next 5 to 6 years and then will cease for about 120 years. Careful observations of these eclipses will allow greatly improved determinations to be made of several physical parameters for the Pluto-Charon system: the diameters of the planet and satellite, the surface albedo distribution on one hemisphere of the planet, the orbit of the satellite, and the mass of the planet and hence its density. Knowledge of the density will provide a constraint on models of Pluto's bulk composition.

Submitted on April 10, 1985
Accepted on May 9, 1985


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Hemispherical Color Differences on Pluto and Charon.
R. P. Binzel and R. P. BINZEL (1988)
Science 241, 1070-1072
   Abstract »    PDF »
Spectrophotometry of Pluto-Charon Mutual Events: Individual Spectra of Pluto and Charon.
S. R. Sawyer, S. R. SAWYER, E. S. BARKER, A. L. COCHRAN, and W. D. COCHRAN (1987)
Science 238, 1560-1563
   Abstract »    PDF »
IRAS Serendipitous Survey Observations of Pluto and Charon.
M. V. Sykes, M. V. SYKES, R. M. CUTRI, L. A. LEBOFSKY, and R. P. BINZEL (1987)
Science 237, 1336-1340
   Abstract »    PDF »
Improved Orbital and Physical Parameters for the Pluto-Charon System.
D. J. Tholen, D. J. THOLEN, M. W. BUIE, R. P. BINZEL, and M. L. FRUEH (1987)
Science 237, 512-514
   Abstract »    PDF »


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