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Styx (moon)

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S/2012 (134340) 1
Hubble Space Telescope discovery images
of S/2012 P 1 (shown as P5)
Discovery
Discovered byShowalter, M. R. et al.
Discovery date
  • 26 June 2012
  • (verified 7 July 2012)
Photographic
Orbital characteristics[1]
Mean orbit radius
42,000 km (26,000 mi) ± 2,000 km (1,200 mi)
Eccentricity≈ 0
20.2 ± 0.1 days
Inclination≈ 0
Satellite ofPluto
Physical characteristics
5–12.5 km (3–8 mi)[1]

S/2012 (134340) 1 (also informally known as S/2012 P 1 or P5) is a small natural satellite of Pluto whose existence was announced on 11 July 2012. It is the fifth confirmed satellite of Pluto, and was found approximately one year after S/2011 P 1, Pluto's fourth discovered moon.

Discovery

The satellite was discovered using nine sets of images taken between 26 June and 9 July 2012 by the Wide Field Camera 3 fitted to the Hubble Space Telescope.[2] The survey work leading to the moon's discovery was in preparation for the arrival of the New Horizons space probe, currently en route to the Pluto system.

The discovery of another small moon in the area of Pluto led to concerns that this region of space may harbor many more bodies that are too small to be detected, raising fears that the probe may be damaged by an uncharted body as it passes through the system.[3]

Physical properties

The moon is estimated to have a diameter of between 10 and 25 kilometers (6 and 16 mi).[4][5] These figures are inferred from the apparent magnitude of the moon and by using an estimated albedo of 0.35 and 0.04 for the lower and upper bounds respectively.[1]

Orbital properties

S/2012 P 1's orbital period is estimated to be 20.2 ± 0.1 days,[1] putting it about 5.4% from a 1:3 resonance with the Charon–Pluto orbital period. With Pluto's other moons Nix, S/2011 P 1 and Hydra, it forms part of a 1:3:4:5:6 sequence of near resonances.

Origin

The unexpectedly complex moon system around Pluto may be the result of a collision between Pluto and another Kuiper belt object in the distant past.[6] Plutos's moons may have coalesced from the debris from such an event, similar to the "big whack" believed to have created the Earth's Moon. The orbital resonances from the impact may have acted as "ruts" to gather material from the smashup.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Ray Sanders (11 July 2012). "Hubble Space Telescope detects fifth moon of Pluto". Phys.org. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  2. ^ Rob Preece (11 July 2012). "A cosmic discovery: Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope find fifth moon orbiting Pluto". Daily Mail. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  3. ^ Mike Wall (11 July 2012). "Hubble telescope spots fifth moon orbiting Pluto". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  4. ^ "NewsCenter - Hubble Discovers a Fifth Moon Orbiting Pluto (07/11/2012) - The Full Story". HubbleSite. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  5. ^ "BBC News - Hubble discovers new Pluto moon". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  6. ^ Thomas H. Maugh II (11 July 2012). "Astronomers find fifth moon at Pluto". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  7. ^ Matson, J. (11 July 2012). "New Moon for Pluto: Hubble Telescope Spots a 5th Plutonian Satellite". Scientific American web site. Retrieved 12 July 2012.

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