Pluto: The Distant Wanderer of Our Solar System

Pluto is a tiny wanderer at the edge of our solar system. It travels in a

stretched elliptical orbit instead of a perfect circle. That path swings it from about 30

astronomical units at its closest, to nearly 49.3 astronomical units at its farthest. Pluto's orbit is

also tilted about 17 degrees compared to the other planets, keeping it high above or low below

their paths. From 1979 to 1999, Pluto was actually closer to the sun than Neptune,

but their cr- but their gravitational dance keeps them from colliding. One trip around

the sun takes Pluto 248 Earth years, longer than any planet-like body we know.

And that's why...