2006-07-12 01:52:34 · 10 answers · asked by JRev 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The distance between Earth and Pluto varies as the two planets move around their orbits. When they are closest, they are about 29 A.U. apart; at most, the distance is about 51 A.U. Since light travels about 300,000 kilometers each second, it would take light anywhere between 8 hours and 14 hours to make the round-trip journey to Pluto from Earth.
Radio signals travel at the same speed as light. If you were using radio signals to control a robot on Pluto, you would have to be very patient. If you sent your robot a command to move, the command would arrive at least 4 hours later. Then, if your robot took a picture and sent it back to Earth, it would take at least 4 more hours before you could see that picture!
AU, which stands for "astronomical unit", is a unit for measuring distance. One AU is the average distance from the Sun's center to the Earth's center. It is equal to 149,597,871 km (92,955,807 miles).
2006-07-12 02:07:18 · answer #1 · answered by yourownlove 3 · 7⤊ 1⤋
Earth is 1 Astronomical Unit (AU, or about 93 million miles) from the sun. Pluto is about 38 AU from the sun.
At minimum distance, about 37 AU, or 3.4 billion miles.
2006-07-12 01:57:03 · answer #2 · answered by MeteoMike 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pluto isn't a planet
2006-07-12 02:14:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The closest it comes is 2.66 billion miles, and the farthest is about 4.67 billion miles.
That's just over 4 light hours at the closest.
2006-07-12 02:09:43 · answer #4 · answered by raknrun 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well put it this way, you could be travelling at light speed for a day with your kid in the back. And after a day the kid asks "Are we there yet?" Most likely the Answer is no :)
2006-07-12 01:57:40 · answer #5 · answered by Ajescent 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
may be thousands of light years
2006-07-12 01:58:06 · answer #6 · answered by Truly Madly Deeply 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
3.581 billion miles
2006-07-12 01:56:36 · answer #7 · answered by clone1973 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
2.67 billion miles
2006-07-12 02:00:55 · answer #8 · answered by samir m 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A long, long, way
2006-07-12 01:55:51 · answer #9 · answered by rockandroll5556 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
2,2,2 for away..
2006-07-12 02:43:55 · answer #10 · answered by snow g 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋