Charon, the largest moon of the dwarf planet Pluto, orbits around its parent body rather than a planet. Charon and Pluto actually orbit around a common center of gravity, a point located between the two bodies known as the barycenter. This unique relationship between Charon and Pluto is often referred to as a binary system.

Charon was discovered in 1978 by astronomer James Christy, and it has a diameter of about 1,212 kilometers, which is roughly half the size of Pluto. The moon is tidally locked to Pluto, meaning that the same side always faces the dwarf planet as they orbit each other.

One interesting fact about Charon is that it has a reddish-brown coloration on its surface, which is likely due to the presence of tholins – organic compounds formed by the interaction of sunlight and methane on the moon's surface.

Charon's orbit around Pluto is relatively circular, with a semi-major axis of about 19,570 kilometers. The moon takes approximately 6.4 Earth days to complete one orbit around Pluto, which is the same amount of time it takes for Charon to complete one rotation on its axis.

Despite being a moon, Charon has some unique features that have led scientists to consider it a dwarf planet in its own right. In fact, some researchers believe that Charon and Pluto should be classified as a double dwarf planet system rather than a planet and its moon.

For more information on Charon and its orbit around Pluto, you can visit the NASA Solar System Exploration website or the Space.com article on Charon.

In conclusion, Charon orbits around the dwarf planet Pluto rather than a planet. Its unique relationship with Pluto, as well as its own distinct characteristics, make Charon a fascinating object of study for astronomers and planetary scientists.

Sign Up