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Pluto, a dwarf planet, orbits the Sun beyond Neptune on a highly elongated and inclined orbit compared to the other planets. At certain points in its orbit, Pluto is closer to the Sun than Neptune. With a diameter of 2374 kilometers, Pluto is smaller than Earth's Moon. Its core is a solid rocky structure with metal impurities, possibly surrounded by an ocean of liquid water. Above the core lies a mantle of water ice, topped by a crust primarily made of nitrogen ice, mixed with water ice, methane and carbon monoxide. Pluto's surface features a variety of formations. These include smooth ice plains, high mountains, broken ice floes, windblown dunes and impact craters. It has a thin atmosphere, extending up to 150 kilometers, composed mostly of nitrogen released from its surface. The orange-brown hues observed on some areas of Pluto’s surface are likely caused by compounds formed from organic materials, which are altered by the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Evidence suggests that Pluto may still be geologically active.
