PLUTO AND CHARON "KISS-AND-CAPTURE" (IMAGE)

Southwest Research Institute

PLUTO AND CHARON "KISS-AND-CAPTURE"

Caption

Using advanced models, SwRI led new research that indicates that the formation of Pluto and Charon may parallel that of the Earth-Moon system. In the resulting “kiss-and-capture” regime, Pluto and Charon collide and stick together in the shape of a snowman. They rotate as one body until Pluto pushes Charon out into a stable orbit.

Credit

Southwest Research Institute/Adeene Denton/Robert Melikyan

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