Charon
largest natural satellite of Pluto
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Summary
Charon is a moon of Pluto[1]. Charon draws 6,047 Wikipedia views per month (moon of pluto category, ranking #1 of 5).[2]
Key Facts
- Discoverer or inventor: James W. Christy[3]
- Site of astronomical discovery: United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station[4]
- Named after: Charon[5]
- Part of: outer Solar System[6], Pluto System[7]
- Commons category: Charon (moon)[8]
- Parent astronomical body: Pluto[9]
- Type of orbit: hadeocentric orbit[10]
- Time of discovery or invention: June 22, 1978[11]
- IPA transcription: ˈçaːʁɔn[12]
- Topic's main category: Category:Charon (moon)[13]
- Orbital eccentricity: 0.00005[14]
- Flattening: 0.5 percent[15]
- Apparent magnitude: 16.8[16]
- Topic has template: Template:GeoTemplate/charon[17]
- Absolute magnitude: 1[18]
- Orbital inclination: 0.080 degree[19], 119.591 degree[20], 112.783 degree[21]
- Density: 1.702 gram per cubic centimetre[22]
- Mass: 1.52 yottagram[23]
- Radius: 603.6 km[24]
- Orbital period: 6.38723 day[25]
- Longitude of ascending node: 223.046 degree[26]
- Semi-major axis of an orbit: 19591.4 km[27]
- Apoapsis: 19598.92 km[28]
- Periapsis: 19592.61 km[29]
- Diameter: 1212 km[30]
Why It Matters
Charon has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[31] Charon is known by 25 alternative names across languages and contexts.[32]