Scientists have not discovered much about Pluto because it is so far away from the Earth and hard

to see even with very powerful telescopes. They think it is made of rock and ice, and might have a thin atmosphere made of gases such as nitrogen, carbon monoxide and methane. They do know it is smaller than our moon and must be very cold because it is so far away from the sun. One thing scientists have discovered is that Pluto has a very odd orbit. Sometimes it switches places with Neptune and becomes the eighth planet from the sun. Other times it is the ninth planet from the sun. From 1979 until February 11, 1999 Pluto was the eighth planet from the sun. It crossed Neptune's orbit on February 11, 1999 and once again became the ninth planet from the sun. It will stay in this position for the next 228 years!