Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Science

The spin of Pluto's moon, Charon, may be slowing down

Evidence of the slowing of Charon's spin period (despinning) is recorded in tectonic features on the surface of Pluto's icy moon, according to a modeling study published in Nature Communications. The findings offer insights into the early thermal evolution of Charon and other icy satellites in the o...

The spin of Pluto's moon, Charon, may be slowing down
Image: Phys.org
Evidence of the slowing of Charon's spin period (despinning) is recorded in tectonic features on the surface of Pluto's icy moon, according to a modeling study published in Nature Communications. The findings offer insights into the early thermal evolution of Charon and other icy satellites in the outer solar system.

Originally published at Phys.org

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