NASA finds Pluto's moons tumbling in absolute chaos

Washington: NASA's Hubble space telescope has provided the first glimpse of Pluto's moons that wobble unpredictably, tumbling in absolute chaos. It means if you lived on one of Pluto's moons, you might have a hard time determining when, or from which direction, the Sun will rise each day.

"Hubble has provided a new view of Pluto and its moons revealing a cosmic dance with a chaotic rhythm," said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, DC. Comprehensive analysis of the data shows that two of Pluto's moons, Nix and Hydra, wobble unpredictably. The moons wobble because they are embedded in a gravitational field that shifts constantly.

This shift is created by the double planet system of Pluto and Charon as they whirl about each other. Pluto and Charon are called a double planet because they share a common centre of gravity located in the space between the bodies. Their variable gravitational field sends the smaller moons tumbling erratically. The effect is strengthened by the football-like, rather than spherical, shape of the moons.