Nix (moon)
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Nix, formal designation Pluto II, is a natural satellite of Pluto, with a diameter of 49.8 km across its longest dimension. It was discovered along with Pluto's outermost moon Hydra on 15 May 2005 by
Enhanced color image of Nix, taken by New Horizons
Discovery images of Nix and Hydra
Hubble image of Pluto's moons (annotated)
Nix half illuminated, imaged by New Horizons
Moons of Pluto
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There are five known moons of the dwarf planet Pluto. In order of distance from Pluto, they are Charon, Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra. Charon, the largest, is mutually tidally locked with Pluto, and
Nix (moon)
…Nix, formal designation (134340) Pluto II, is a natural satellite of Pluto, with a diameter of 49.8 km (30.9 mi) across its longest dimension. It was discovered along with Pluto's outermost moon Hydra on 15 May 2005 by astronomers…
Charon and Pluto, to scale. Photo taken by New Horizons on approach.
Discovery image of Styx, overlaid with orbits of the satellite system
Formation of Pluto's moons. 1: a Kuiper belt object approaches Pluto; 2: it collides with Pluto; 3: a dust ring forms around Pluto; 4: the debris aggregates to form Charon; 5: Pluto and Charon relax into spherical bodies.