Inside Dwarf Planet Pluto

Dwarf planet Pluto was discovered in 1930 and was once considered to be the ninth planet from the sun in Earth’s solar system. — (Image credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com)

Discovered in 1930 and once considered a major planet, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006. Pluto is sometimes

considered a double planet system because its largest moon, Charon, is about half Pluto’s size. It takes Pluto 248 years to orbit the Sun.

A temporary nitrogen-methane atmosphere forms when Pluto's surface ice thaws, when Pluto is closest to the sun.

Pluto’s rocky core is probably surrounded by a mantle of ice, with methane and nitrogen frost coating its surface.

Karl's association with Space.com goes back to 2000, when he was hired to produce interactive Flash graphics. From 2010 to 2016, Karl worked as an infographics specialist across all editorial properties of Purch (formerly known as TechMediaNetwork). Before joining Space.com, Karl spent 11 years at the New York headquarters of The Associated Press, creating news graphics for use around the world in newspapers and on the web. He has a degree in graphic design from Louisiana State University and now works as a freelance graphic designer in New York City.