Map of Pluto – Dwarf Planet Surface, Mountains & Moons
Map of Pluto - Dwarf Planet Surface, Heart-Shaped Region & Moons
Explore a map of Pluto and discover the icy plains, rugged mountains, impact craters and moons of this distant dwarf planet. Pluto lies in the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune and was photographed in remarkable detail by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft during its July 2015 flyby.
Quick answer: What does Pluto's surface look like?
Pluto is a small, icy dwarf planet with bright nitrogen-ice plains, towering water-ice mountains, dark reddish regions and a thin atmosphere. Its famous heart-shaped region is called Tombaugh Regio; the smooth western lobe is Sputnik Planitia. Pluto has five known moons, including the unusually large Charon.
Explore a Map of Pluto
Pluto has a solid surface, so scientists can produce maps of its terrain. Unlike the changing cloud patterns of gas giants, mapped landmarks on Pluto include relatively stable geological features. However, New Horizons did not image every part of Pluto at the same resolution, and some regions are less well understood.
Pluto Surface Map - USGS Planetary Mapping
Explore published planetary maps, including Pluto, and look for surface features and scientific mapping resources.
Explore Pluto Mapping ResourcesThis opens a planetary map catalogue where Pluto can be selected. It is not a live surface view or a dedicated 3D Pluto globe.
How to Read a Pluto Map
- Look for Tombaugh Regio: The bright heart-shaped area is one of the most recognisable landmarks.
- Find Sputnik Planitia: This smooth, icy plain forms the heart's western lobe.
- Compare bright and dark areas: Differences can reflect surface ices, reddish organic compounds and geological history.
- Examine craters and mountains: Cratered and smoother terrain can indicate different surface ages and processes.
- Check the map's source and coverage: Some images are colour-enhanced, mosaicked or based on lower-resolution observations.
Pluto Facts at a Glance
| Feature | Pluto |
|---|---|
| Classification | Dwarf planet |
| Region | Kuiper Belt, beyond Neptune |
| Approximate diameter | 2,377 km |
| Average distance from Sun | About 39 astronomical units (AU) |
| Time to orbit the Sun | About 248 Earth years |
| Rotation period | About 6.4 Earth days |
| Known moons | Five |
| First close-up spacecraft visit | New Horizons, 14 July 2015 |
Note: Pluto's distance from the Sun changes greatly over its elongated orbit. The figures above are approximate reference values.
Major Surface Features on Pluto
| Feature | What it is | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Tombaugh Regio | Large, bright heart-shaped region | Pluto's most recognisable mapped landmark |
| Sputnik Planitia | Smooth nitrogen-ice plain within Tombaugh Regio | Shows evidence of slowly circulating ice and relatively few impact craters |
| Norgay Montes | Rugged water-ice mountains | Demonstrates the strength of water ice at Pluto's low temperatures |
| Hillary Montes | Mountainous terrain near Sputnik Planitia | Highlights Pluto's diverse geology |
| Cthulhu Macula | Broad, dark equatorial terrain | Contrasts with brighter ice-covered regions |
| Impact craters | Marks left by collisions | Help researchers compare geological surface histories |
Is Sputnik Planitia the Entire Heart?
No. Tombaugh Regio is the broad heart-shaped region, named for Pluto's discoverer, Clyde Tombaugh. Sputnik Planitia is the striking, smoother western portion. The distinction is useful when interpreting photographs and maps.
Why Is Pluto's Surface So Different?
Pluto's landscape contains several kinds of ice. Frozen nitrogen, methane and carbon monoxide can coat parts of the surface, while water ice is strong enough at Pluto's extreme temperatures to build mountains. Some ice moves very slowly over geological timescales, producing terrain that looks unexpectedly youthful next to older, heavily cratered regions.
Its reddish colour is associated in part with complex organic materials called tholins, formed through chemical reactions involving sunlight and energetic particles. The apparent colours in spacecraft images may be enhanced to make geological differences easier to study.
Pluto's Five Moons
| Moon | Key characteristic |
|---|---|
| Charon | Largest moon; about half Pluto's diameter, with a shared orbit around a point outside Pluto |
| Styx | Small irregular moon, discovered in 2012 |
| Nix | Small, bright, irregularly shaped moon |
| Kerberos | Small moon discovered in 2011 |
| Hydra | Small outer moon with an irregular shape |
From inner to outer orbit, Pluto's moons are Charon, Styx, Nix, Kerberos and Hydra. Pluto and Charon are tidally locked to each other, meaning each keeps the same face towards the other as they rotate and orbit.
Why Is Pluto a Dwarf Planet?
Pluto was discovered in 1930 and was traditionally counted as the ninth planet. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union adopted a definition under which planets must orbit the Sun, be nearly round under their own gravity and have cleared the neighbourhood around their orbit. Pluto meets the first two criteria but not the third, so it is classified as a dwarf planet.
This change did not make Pluto less scientifically important. It helped astronomers distinguish major planets from the many icy and rocky bodies found beyond Neptune.
Pluto, Neptune and the Kuiper Belt
Pluto follows an inclined, elliptical orbit and takes approximately 248 Earth years to travel around the Sun. At some stages of its orbit Pluto is closer to the Sun than Neptune, but their orbital resonance prevents close encounters. Pluto is part of the broader population of icy Kuiper Belt objects.
Pluto's average distance is around 39 times Earth's distance from the Sun. Sunlight takes roughly five and a half hours to reach Pluto at that average distance.
New Horizons: The Mission That Revealed Pluto
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto on 14 July 2015. It revealed a complex landscape, thin atmospheric haze, rugged mountains, broad icy plains and detailed views of Charon and the smaller moons.
New Horizons did not land on Pluto or enter orbit around it. Its close flyby produced images and measurements that transformed scientific understanding of this distant world. Pluto's less thoroughly observed regions remain less certain than the side examined during the encounter.
Can You See Pluto from Earth?
Pluto is far too faint to see with the unaided eye. Observing it normally requires a suitable telescope, precise charts, dark skies and experience identifying faint objects. Even through many amateur telescopes, Pluto appears as a tiny point of light rather than a visible disk with surface details.
Map of Pluto FAQs
Is Pluto still a planet?
Pluto is officially classified as a dwarf planet, following the International Astronomical Union's 2006 definition.
Where is Pluto located?
Pluto is a Kuiper Belt object beyond Neptune, travelling around the Sun on an inclined, elliptical orbit.
What is the heart-shaped feature on Pluto called?
The broad heart-shaped region is Tombaugh Regio. Its smooth western lobe is Sputnik Planitia.
What is Pluto's surface made of?
Pluto has a mixture of water ice, nitrogen ice, methane ice and other frozen materials over a rocky interior.
How many moons does Pluto have?
Pluto has five known moons: Charon, Styx, Nix, Kerberos and Hydra.
Does Pluto have an atmosphere?
Yes. Pluto has a very thin atmosphere dominated by nitrogen, with smaller amounts of methane and carbon monoxide. Its extent can vary with seasonal and orbital conditions.
Has a spacecraft landed on Pluto?
No. New Horizons completed a flyby in 2015; no spacecraft has landed on Pluto.
How long is a year on Pluto?
One Pluto year lasts approximately 248 Earth years.
Trusted Pluto Maps and Astronomy Resources
- USGS - Published planetary maps, including Pluto
- NASA - Pluto overview and discoveries
- NASA - Pluto facts and physical characteristics
- Johns Hopkins APL - New Horizons mission
Related Fosmore Space Maps
- Map of Solar System
- Map of Neptune
- Map of Saturn
- Map of Jupiter
- Map of Asteroid Belt
- Map of Milky Way
Disclaimer: This guide is for general educational purposes only and is not affiliated with NASA, USGS or any scientific institution. Surface maps, image mosaics, geological interpretations and orbital models can have different coverage, dates and levels of accuracy. They should not be used for operational or scientific decisions without consulting the original datasets and documentation.