Mmastodon ScienceSpace first seen 2 d ago, last 2 d ago, peak #5

Pluto drifts farther from Earth, now 5.3 billion kilometres away

Original: 2026-10-18 12:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-10-11) PLUTO [ *1930 +2006 ] - Distance (km): 5,306,449,764.50 km (+18,353,180.85 k

Fresh tracking data show Pluto at about 5.31 billion kilometres from Earth, roughly 35.5 astronomical units, and receding by over 18 million kilometres in a week. Light from the dwarf planet now takes nearly five hours to reach us, while its orbital speed ticks down slightly. Space enthusiasts are sharing the figures alongside an image of Pluto in twilight.

Why now: The latest distance figures and a newly shared Pluto image are circulating among space observers.

Pluto

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Evidence

• 2026-10-18 12:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-10-11) PLUTO [ *1930 +2006 ] - Distance (km): 5,306,449,764.50 km (+18,353,180.85 km) - Distance (AU): 35.47 (+0.12) - Light travel time: 4 h 55 min 0.41 s (+1 min 1.22 s) - Orbital speed: 5.21 km/s (-0.01 km/s) Image: Pluto in Twilight… · wawn · 3

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