Charon
Charon is so large relative to Pluto that both orbit a common center of mass in space. New Horizons revealed a geologically diverse surface with canyons and cryovolcanism in 2015.
astronomy.moons
Metrics
Diameter
About half the size of Pluto.
Mass
Orbital Period
Tidally locked — always shows the same face to Pluto.
Distance to Pluto
Relations
Explanations
Charon, with a diameter of 1212 km, is remarkably large relative to its primary body, Pluto. What makes it special: both bodies don't orbit around Pluto alone, but rather around a shared center of mass in space – a rare binary system. The New Horizons mission in 2015 revealed surprisingly diverse geology with canyons and evidence of cryovolcanism, where icy material erupts from volcanoes.
Sources
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Provenance
Status
seed
Review
none
Last Updated
2026-02-17