Pluto Quiz: Test Your New Horizons Mission Knowledge

This quiz tests reader knowledge of NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto, covering key facts and discoveries reported during the mission’s flyby coverage. Take the quiz below to see how much you remember, then share your score in the comments.

Pluto in the News

Pluto has been a frequent subject of coverage in recent months, largely due to NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft and its flyby of the dwarf planet. This quiz offers a way to test what you have picked up from that coverage.

Once you have completed the quiz, share your results in the comments section below.

1. Pluto is named after the Roman and Greek god of

 Sleep

 The Underworld

 Luck and Fortune

 Winds

2. Pluto is ____ billion miles away from Earth

 2.67

 2.19

 2.88

 2.93

3. Pluto’s atmosphere is composed primarily of

 Hydrogen

 Helium and Nitrogen

 Nitrogen and Methane

 Hydrogen and Helium

4. When was Pluto discovered?

 1937

 1928

 1941

 1930

5. Who discovered Pluto

 William Herschel

 Clyde Tombaugh

 Simon Marius

 Arno Allan Penzias

6. How many known satellites does Pluto have?

 3

 2

 5

 0

7. How many Earth years is Pluto’s orbital period?

 248

 212

 254

 229

8. What is the name of the Pluto space probe?

 Kepler

 Juno

 Cassini

 New Horizons

9. The radio transmission time from Pluto to Earth is

 5 hours and 02 minutes

 3 hours and 32 minutes

 4 hours and 25 minutes

 2 hours and 43 minutes

10. Which is not a moon of Pluto

 Charon

 Hydra

 Nix

 Oberon

11. When was Pluto reclassified as a dwarf planet?

 1999

 2006

 2002

 2008

12. The recent Pluto probe carries a CD of

 Wikipedia pages

 Supporter names

 XKCD comics

 Einstein quotes

13. The Radioisotope Thermal Generator that powers the Pluto probe is a spare from

 Genesis

 Jason 1

 Ulysses

 Galileo-Cassini

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Continue the Discussion

For ongoing conversation and the latest updates on the New Horizons mission, visit the Pluto Flyby forum thread on Physics Forums.

Take Another Quiz

Interested in testing your knowledge on a different topic? Try the ice trivia quiz to see how well you understand the science of ice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the New Horizons mission?

New Horizons is a NASA spacecraft mission that conducted a flyby of Pluto, generating significant news coverage in the months surrounding the event. The mission provided close-up data and images of the dwarf planet and its surrounding system.

Where can I discuss the Pluto flyby with others?

Readers can join the conversation on the Pluto Flyby forum thread hosted on Physics Forums, where the latest news and community discussion about the New Horizons mission are posted.

Is there another quiz I can take after this one?

Yes, readers can follow up with an ice trivia quiz that tests knowledge of the science behind ice, available through the linked Physics Forums Insights article.

Do I need to know the exact quiz questions to participate?

No specific preparation is required. The quiz is designed to test general knowledge picked up from recent Pluto and New Horizons news coverage.