Charon (moon)

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/charon-moon

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How heavy is Charon (moon)?Approximately 1/8
2. Who discovered Charon (moon)?June 22, 1978
3. What is the scientific name?134340 Pluto I
4. What is the mean radius?606 km
5. What is Charon and how big is it compared to Pluto?Charon is Pluto's largest moon. It has about half Pluto's diameter and one-eighth its mass, with a radius of 606 km, making it the sixth‑largest object beyond Neptune.
6. Why does Pluto and Charon always show the same face to each other?They are mutually tidally locked, meaning each always shows the same side to the other. This happens because they orbit a point outside Pluto's surface.

Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO): Any celestial body orbiting the Sun beyond the planet Neptune.
Barycenter: The center of mass of two or more celestial bodies, around which they orbit.
Tholins: Complex organic compounds formed by ultraviolet irradiation of simple molecules, often found on outer solar system bodies.
Cryovolcanism: Volcanic activity where eruptions consist of volatiles like water, ammonia, or methane, rather than molten rock.