What is Nix?
Q: What is Nix?
A: Nix is a non-spherical moon of Pluto.
Q: When was Nix discovered?
A: Nix was found along with Hydra in June 2005 by the Hubble Space Telescope Pluto Companion Search Team. The discovery images were taken on May 15, 2005 and May 18, 2005; the moons were independently found by Max J. Mutchler on June 15, 2005 and Andrew J. Steffl on August 15, 2005. The discoveries were announced on October 31, 2005, after confirmation from photographs archived in 2002.
Q: How long does it take for Nix to orbit around Pluto?
A: It takes 24.9 days for Nix to circle around Pluto.
Q: What is the estimated size of Nix?
A: Before its size was directly measured, the moon was calculated to have a diameter of between 46 km if its reflectivity is similar to Charon's 35%, and 137 km if it had a reflectivity of 4%, like the darkest Kuiper belt objects.
Q: How bright is Nix compared to Pluto?
A: In the discovery image, Nix is 6300 times fainter than Pluto.
Q: What color is believed to be associated with Nix?
A: Early research appeared to show that Nix was reddish like Pluto and unlike the other moons, but more recent reports have been that it is grey like the remaining moons.
Q: When did New Horizons visitNix?
A: New Horizons mission visitedNix in 2015.
