Mag. +14.4 Pluto reaches opposition on 23 July 2024 in an obscure part of the sky within Capricornus, making it as good a time as any to see whether you can spot the dwarf planet for yourself.
To find Pluto visually, it sits in a field 5° northeast of the distinctive kite-shaped asterism formed from mag. +4.5 59, +4.8 60, +4.4 62 and +4.7 Omega (ω) Sagittarii.
Alternatively, find the field 1.3° south-southwest of mag. +5.9 4 Capricorni.
Over the month, Pluto moves roughly 0.8° on a west-southwest heading.
If you want to capture an image of Pluto, take an extended photograph of the region to get down below the mag. +14.4 threshold.
This shouldn’t be a problem even for smaller 50mm instruments.
Compare shots over a couple of nights and see if you can detect the object that’s moving between images.
About Pluto
Many of use remember being taught about the ninth planet in school physics lessons, but Pluto was demoted to a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union in 2006.
Pluto has several class definitions beyond dwarf planet; it’s also a trans-Neptunian object (TNO), Kuiper belt object (KBO) and a Plutino.
It carries the minor planet designation (134340) Pluto.
Pluto has a diameter of 2,377km. Its elliptical orbit takes it out as far as 49.3 AU and in as close as 29.7 AU from the Sun, taking 248 years to complete one circuit.
Have you managed to observe or photograph Pluto at opposition in July 2024? Let us know by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com