2006-10-10 20:07:25 · 7 answers · asked by yoda40 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Sorry, but it's not that easy. Distances are always given from the sun, rather than from earth, because some of the time a given planet (in this case, Pluto, which we are told we should not call a planet) is on the same side of its orbit as we are, and sometimes on the other side. Since we are roughly 93 million miles from the sun, that difference is considerable. Add to this the complication that Pluto has a rather more than normally eccentric orbit, and the distances are very complicated indeed. Pluto's distance from the sum varies from 2,757 million to 4,583 million miles. To calculate how far it is from the earth at a given time, we would need to know the relative positions in their orbits of both Earth and Pluto, and the calculation is way beyond me, anyway.
2006-10-10 20:21:41 · answer #1 · answered by auntb93again 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is easier to discuss this in terms of AUs not millions of miles or kilometres. Smaller numbers are easier to visualise.
At perihelion (closest to the sun) 134340 Pluto is 29 AU from the sun and therefore, depending on where we are in our orbit, somewhere between 28 and 30 AU from Earth.
At apehelion (farthest away from the sun) Pluto is 49 AU from the sun and therefore, depending on where we are in our orbit, somewhere between 48 and 50 AU from Earth.
The New Horizons rocket which was launched in January 2006 is already nearing Jupiter but won't reach Pluto for another 9 years. It really is outer Solar System! Jupiter is 5 AU from the Sun but only 4 AU from Earth when Earth is on the same side of the Sun as Jupiter is,
But if you think that Pluto is far out ...
136199 Eris at aphelion is 97 AU from the Sun, twice as far as Pluto gets. 90377 Sedna at aphelion is 975 AU from the Sun, twenty times as far as Pluto gets.
Sending a rocket to Sedna could take 200 years to get there, not 10, therefore, with current technology. Fortunately it is near perihelion (76 AU) at present!
2006-10-10 20:53:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
he's at disney world in florida
disney land in california
with goofy
all is well
be silent
2006-10-10 20:19:40 · answer #3 · answered by getit 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Very very far
2006-10-10 20:14:47 · answer #4 · answered by It Co$t To Be Around The Bo$$ 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it doesnt matter, its not a planet anymore. why are you planning a vacation?
2006-10-10 20:16:21 · answer #5 · answered by brewcrew2007 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Why do you need this kind of information....?!
2006-10-10 21:10:28 · answer #6 · answered by Howler 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
348.392 km (356.500 - 406.800 km)
2006-10-10 20:16:15 · answer #7 · answered by L1NA 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋