Natural Satellite

Charon

Charon is currently about 5,193,941,943 kilometres from Earth, or 34.72 astronomical units, which puts a one-way radio signal 4.8 hours out. It is 35.59 astronomical units from the Sun.

Charon Complexity
NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute, Public domain (NASA). Source.

Pluto’s enormous companion, so large relative to Pluto that the two orbit a point in empty space between them, making a true double system.

Its north pole is stained red by material escaping from Pluto.

Right now

Distance from Earth
5,193,941,943 km (34.72 AU)
Distance from the Sun
5,324,240,403 km (35.59 AU)
One-way signal time
4.8 hours

The body

Mean radius
606 km
Orbital radius
19,591 km
Orbital period
6.39 days
Charon on the live map, in its real position. Drag to look around, or open the full map.

Nearby on the map

Everything on the map