Does Pluto have an atmosphere? What is Pluto’s atmosphere made of, and why is it so thin?

Learn more about Pluto in Cosmic Funnies!

Does Pluto have an atmosphere? Yes, in fact, it is made of nitrogen. And is also composed of carbon monoxide, and methane which is present in smaller amounts. Pluto’s thin atmosphere is a bluish haze…

And is backlit by the Sun. The haze extends to 100 miles (160 km) above the surface of Pluto. These layers of the atmosphere are apparent in the various images in the New Horizons images. Another Interesting fact, these low lying hazes hint at the water changes from day to day.

Just like how it happens on Earth, the molecule’s in Pluto’s atmosphere provide a blue tint to the haze. However, the material known as tholins have a reddish tint. These tholins scatter light at blue wavelengths.

This similar process provides Earth with blue skies. Eventually, these tholins fall onto Pluto’s surface, giving the planet a reddish/orange tint. Also, the changing distance to Pluto can affect the planet’s atmosphere. When Pluto lies closer to the Sun…

The ices thaw. And when Pluto is further away, the gases refreeze and solidify. Pluto’s atmosphere is thicker than Triton’s as well.