Have you ever wondered about the size of the objects that float around in our colossal universe? We’re not just talking about planets, but also the smaller bodies that orbit them, like moons. One such moon, called Nix, is a fascinating object spinning around the dwarf planet Pluto. Nix might not be as famous as our own Moon, but it’s an exciting celestial body with some intriguing features. Let’s explore this lesser-known moon of Pluto and try to understand how big it is!
When we talk of size, we usually think about how big something is compared to something else. So how big is Nix? It’s about 49.8 kilometers (or 30.9 miles) across its longest dimension. That’s roughly 4.5 times the length of Manhattan Island in New York City! Nix is not a perfect sphere, like our own Moon or Earth. It’s more elongated, like a potato. Imagine a potato that’s almost 50 kilometers long, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of Nix’s size!
Now that we know Nix’s size, let’s compare it to some other objects to get a better understanding.
Nix is not just another moon; it has some interesting features that set it apart.