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There are five climate zones on Pluto which are defined by the sub-solar latitude, [1] each with specific boundaries. However, the latitude ranges of the climate zones expand and shrink in response to the obliquity range of Pluto from a minimum of 103° to a maximum of 127° over the 2.8 million year oscillation period.
The presence of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, in Pluto's atmosphere creates a temperature inversion, with the average temperature of its atmosphere tens of degrees warmer than its surface, [142] though observations by New Horizons have revealed Pluto's upper atmosphere to be far colder than expected (70 K, as opposed to about 100 K). [137]
The temperature on the surface is 40 to 60 K (−230 to −210 °C), [6] but it quickly rises with altitude due to a methane-generated greenhouse effect. Near the altitude of 30 km it reaches 110 K (−163 °C), where it then slowly decreases afterwards with height. [7] Pluto is the only trans-Neptunian object with a known atmosphere. [7]
Average density Average temperature Average surface gravity; Lowest Highest Lowest Highest ... Pluto: 3.4 km (2.1 mi) Norgay Montes, Tombaugh Regio [72] 45 K [73]
This is a list of cities by average temperature (monthly and yearly). The temperatures listed are averages of the daily highs and lows. Thus, the actual daytime temperature in a given month may be considerably higher than the temperature listed here, depending on how large the difference between daily highs and lows is.
NASA has released a map of Pluto's surface made from images recently taken by the New Horizons probe and it includes some quite mysterious features. Particularly notable is the lightened area ...
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At Pluto's ambient temperature of 38 K (−235.2 °C; −391.3 °F), nitrogen and carbon monoxide ices are denser and much less rigid than water ice, making glacial-like flows possible; nitrogen ice is the most volatile. [5] The nitrogen ice of the basin rests on Pluto's crust mostly composed of much more rigid water ice. [14]