In 1988, telescopes viewed Pluto as it crossed in front of a distant star. As the star emerged from behind the planet, light from the star was slightly dimmed as it went through Pluto's atmosphere....

In 1988, telescopes viewed Pluto as it crossed in front of a distant star. As the star emerged from behind the planet, light

from the star was slightly dimmed as it went through Pluto's atmosphere. The observations indicated that the atmospheric

density at a height of 50 km above the surface of Pluto is about onethird the density at the surface. The mass of Pluto is

known to be about 1.5 × 1022 kg and its radius is about 1200 km. Spectroscopic data indicate that the atmosphere is mostly

nitrogen (N2). Estimate the temperature of Pluto's atmosphere. State what approximations and/or simplifying assumptions

you made.