Math and Distance: How Far is Pluto from Earth?

In summary, the conversation discusses how far away Pluto is from Earth and how long it would take to travel there at "airliner" speeds. The conversation also discusses how advancements have helped in the past, but there is a lack of funding and support for advancements now.
  • #1
Holocene
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0
It's funny how simple math can help you visualize just how far away an object is.

Pluto is, at minimum, 2,700,000,000 (2.7 Billion) miles away from Earth.

Traveling at "airliner" speeds, say 400mph, a non-stop flight to Pluto would take:

6,750,000 hours en route, or...

281,250 days en route, or...

770 years en route!

I think it's pretty amazing, that in the 1930's, we were able to detect an object only 2/3 the size of our moon at this kind of distance.
 
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  • #2
It is indeed! People who made those type of advances were respected world wide and celebrated for their achievements.
Worryingly nowadays is the current lack of funding and support for advancements. In 1930 it would take weeks to get to the far reaches of the world. by 1969 man had reached the moon and commercial flights were more viable. In the last 39 years, even with all the advances in technology, we still rely on the same principles and haven't even been back to the moon in 35 years!
Back then, advancement was worth the money, now its more will it make me a profit or not :(
 
  • #3
Not sure what the lunar landing has to do with the enormanous distances seperating the various bodies of the solar system. Of course these distances are tiny compared to galactic distances.

I guess instead of putting Hubble into orbit we should have made another trip to the moon. :rolleyes:
 
  • #4
Sorry should have made it more clear :P Was more the point they were able to spot Pluto in the 1930's, big news then but something similar would get less news time that some celebrity wedding, and would have to cost less too. Ofc we should have Hubble, but we should be doing both but people don't want to know now unless there's a profit in it.
 
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  • #5
If the flight to Pluto was unmanned and no adjustments were possible once the launch button was pressed, what would you be aiming at and what would be the chances of success ?
 

1. How is the distance between Earth and Pluto measured?

The distance between Earth and Pluto is measured in astronomical units (AU), which is the average distance between Earth and the Sun. It is also measured in light years, which is the distance that light travels in one year.

2. What is the current distance between Earth and Pluto?

The current distance between Earth and Pluto varies due to their elliptical orbits around the Sun. On average, the distance between the two can range from 4.2 billion to 4.5 billion kilometers.

3. How long would it take to travel from Earth to Pluto?

The time it takes to travel from Earth to Pluto depends on the speed of the spacecraft. The New Horizons spacecraft, which is the fastest spacecraft to reach Pluto, took about 9.5 years to reach Pluto from Earth. However, with current technology, it would take a human spacecraft approximately 20-25 years to reach Pluto.

4. Can Pluto ever be as close to Earth as other planets like Mars?

No, it is not possible for Pluto to be as close to Earth as other planets like Mars. Due to its highly elliptical orbit, Pluto can never come closer to Earth than 4.2 billion kilometers, which is its average distance from Earth.

5. How does the distance between Earth and Pluto affect the temperature on Pluto?

The distance between Earth and Pluto plays a significant role in the temperature on Pluto. Due to its distance from the Sun, Pluto experiences extremely cold temperatures, with an average temperature of -225 degrees Celsius. This is because it receives very little sunlight and has a thin atmosphere that cannot retain heat.

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