Amanda Bosh9 June 1988
Airborne occultation measurements show gradual stellar dimming consistent with refraction through Pluto's extended atmosphere.
United States · Science / Astronomy. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.
Airborne occultation measurements show gradual stellar dimming consistent with refraction through Pluto's extended atmosphere.
A stellar occultation observed from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory provides the first direct detection of an atmosphere around Pluto.
The Pluto occultation light curve reveals a clear upper atmosphere above an extinction layer with a sharp upper boundary.
Published analysis of the 1988 occultation finds atmospheric models consistent with surface pressures of only a few microbars.
During a solar occultation, New Horizons probes Pluto's atmosphere far above levels previously measured from Earth.
A radio occultation experiment obtains the first direct measurement of atmospheric pressure at Pluto's surface.
New Horizons data show Pluto's nitrogen-rich atmosphere extending to roughly 1,600 kilometres above the surface.
Backlit New Horizons images reveal multiple atmospheric haze layers extending far above Pluto.
New Horizons detects ethylene and acetylene in Pluto's atmosphere, compounds involved in forming its complex haze particles.
New Horizons finds Pluto's atmospheric surface pressure lower than estimates derived from earlier Earth-based observations.
New Horizons results prompt investigation of how Pluto replenishes atmospheric nitrogen while gas escapes to space.
Color observations show that Pluto's high-altitude atmospheric haze appears blue when viewed in scattered sunlight.
This factsheet is generated from stored World History Database records matching the country, broad category, detailed category and exact Event value shown above. Duplicate display records are collapsed; database wording is otherwise preserved. Source provenance varies by record, so formal academic citation should be checked against the relevant primary source, archive or specialist historical reference.