The National Mall in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Pluto
These tiny spheres are the dwarf planet Pluto and its moon Charon at one 10-billionth actual size.
If Pluto were this big, how far away would the Sun and planets be? Look at the map on the lower panel to find your position in the solar system.
Bottom of marker:
Voyage to Pluto
Distant Pluto is like no planet. Unlike the gas giant planets, it is solid and very small. Unlike the rocky planets, it is made mostly of ices. Pluto is a lot like a comet, a ball of ice mixed with some rock. But 10 million comets could fit inside Pluto.
The first spacecraft to visit Pluto—New Horizons—will arrive in 2015.
What is Pluto?
Beyond the orbit of Neptune are more than 1,200 icy bodies known as "Trans-Neptunian Objects." Pluto is one of the largest, and the first discovered in 1930. It wasn't until 1992 that another was found and a new class of objects was soon recognized. While no longer considered a planet, Pluto is massive enough to be called a "dwarf planet."
Weighing in on Pluto
Gravity on tiny Pluto is so weak that if you weigh 100 pounds on Earth, you would weigh only 7 pounds on Pluto. You could easily lift a friend over your head or jump into a second-floor window with a single bound.
Walk to Neptune
this page online
Imagine
Pluto has not completed a single orbit of the Sun since the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Walk to Entry
Erected by Smithsonian Institution.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. A significant historical year for this entry is 1930.
Location. 38° 53.333′ N, 77° 1.512′ W. Marker is in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in The National Mall. Marker is on Jefferson Drive Southwest west of 7th Street Southwest, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1000 Jefferson Drive Southwest, Washington DC 20560, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Voyage (here, next to this marker); An Apple is a Rose? (within shouting distance of this marker); A Common Language (within shouting distance of this marker); Enid A. Haupt Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); Carousel on the Mall, Washington, D.C. (within shouting distance of this marker); The Modern Rose (within shouting distance of this marker); Andrew Jackson Downing Urn (within shouting distance of this marker); Andrew Jackson Downing (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southwest Washington.
More about this marker.
Voyage is an exhibition of the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education and the Smithsonian Institution. It is designed for permanent installation in communities worldwide.
http://voyagesolarsystem.org
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 28, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 283 times since then and 25 times this year. Last updated on January 10, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 28, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
