Moon of Pluto
Styx
Styx is a moon. It orbits Pluto. It is about 11 km across – about as wide as Lake Zurich is long. Styx is the smallest of Pluto's five moons, only about 16 x 9 x 8 km in size.
Fact file
- Type
- Moon of Pluto
- Diameter
- 11 km
- Distance from Pluto
- 42,656 km
- Orbital period
- 20.2 days
- Temperature
- -229 °C on average
Styx orbits Pluto.
Interesting facts about Styx
- Styx is the smallest of Pluto's five moons, only about 16 x 9 x 8 km in size.
- Discovered in 2012 with the Hubble telescope, while the path of New Horizons was being searched for hazards.
- Named after the river to the underworld in Greek myth.
Frequently asked questions about Styx
How big is Styx?
Styx has a diameter of 11 km. That is about 0.3% of the diameter of our Moon.
How far is Styx from Pluto?
Styx orbits Pluto at an average distance of 42,656 km.
How long does Styx take to orbit Pluto?
Styx orbits Pluto once every 20.2 days.
How cold or warm is it on Styx?
On Styx the average temperature is −229 °C.
Formation
All of Pluto's small moons probably formed from debris of the same collision that also created Charon.
Atmosphere
No atmosphere.
Exploration
In 2015 New Horizons saw Styx only as a few pixels – there is no sharp image.
Compared with Earth
About as long as Lake Biel (around 15 km).
Other moons of Pluto
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