| Name |
Diameter(s) (km) |
Mean Distance From Planet (km) |
Rotational Period (days) |
Orbital Period (days) |
Orbital Inclination |
Orbital Eccentricity |
Albedo (%) |
| Charon | 1,186 | 19.6 | 6.38725 | 6.38725 | 0° | 0 | 50 |
Name
Diameter
Rotational and Orbital Periods
Orbital Inclination
Orbital Eccentricity
Albedo
The satellite of Pluto is named after the boatman for Pluto, the god of the dead.
Charon has 49% the diameter of Pluto, the largest ratio between a satellite and its planet.
Most satellites rotate in the same period as they revolve around the planet. This is called Synchronous Rotation and is caused by the strong tidal forces exerted by the planet on the satellite. Charon and Pluto both have synchronous rotation and revolution with each other.
This is the angle of inclination of the satellite orbits compared to the planet's equatorial plane. Charon orbits in the same plane as Pluto's equator.
The orbits of most objects in the Solar System are ellipses. This curve resembles a flattened circle. The eccentricity describes how much the ellipse differs from a circle. An orbit with an eccentricity of 0 is a circle. An orbit with an eccentricity of 1 would be an open curve called a parabola. Charon orbits Pluto in a circular orbit.
This is the percentage of sunlight that is reflected by the satellites. Charon's icy surface is reflective.