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Hemispherical color differences on pluto and charon.

R P Binzel

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |August 26, 1988
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Pluto is redder than Charon, with uniform color distributions observed on both celestial bodies. This study did not confirm color asymmetries on Charon but suggests potential detection of Pluto's polar caps.

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    Area of Science:

    • Planetary Science
    • Photometry
    • Astrometry

    Background:

    • Understanding the surface properties and composition of Pluto and Charon is crucial for planetary science.
    • Previous studies suggested potential color asymmetries between the hemispheres of Pluto and Charon, particularly on Charon.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To derive individual colors for Pluto and Charon using time-resolved multicolor photometric observations.
    • To investigate color differences between the synchronous facing and opposite hemispheres of Pluto and Charon.
    • To assess the degree of large-scale hemispherical color asymmetries on both bodies.

    Main Methods:

    • Conducted time-resolved multicolor photometric observations during Pluto-Charon mutual events.
    • Measured B-V magnitudes for specific hemispheres (anti-Charon hemisphere of Pluto, Pluto-facing hemisphere of Charon).

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  • Analyzed longitudinal color distributions to determine hemispherical color asymmetries.

    • Main Results:

    • Pluto was found to be significantly redder than Charon, with measured B-V magnitudes of 0.867 ± 0.008 for Pluto and 0.700 ± 0.010 for Charon.
    • Both Pluto and Charon exhibit relatively uniform longitudinal color distributions.
    • Upper limits for large-scale hemispherical color asymmetries were found to be 2% for Pluto and 5% for Charon.

    Conclusions:

    • The study did not confirm previous suspicions of significant color asymmetry on Charon.
    • The observed photometric data may indicate the direct detection of polar caps on Pluto.
    • The findings contribute to a better understanding of the surface characteristics and potential geological features of the Pluto-Charon system.