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Why is Pluto-Charon a “double planet” and not a “planet with a satellite”?

April 26, 2017pluto-charon

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Why is Pluto-Charon a “double planet” and not a “planet with a satellite”?

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Both Pluto and Charon each are large enough (massive enough) to be spherical. Both bodies independently satisfy the definition of “planet”. The reason they are called a “double planet” is that their common centre of gravity is a point that is located in free space outside the surface of Pluto.