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Nature 424, 168-170 (10 July 2003) | doi:10.1038/nature01766; Received 4 March 2003; Accepted 27 May 2003

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Large changes in Pluto's atmosphere as revealed by recent stellar occultations

B. Sicardy1,2, T. Widemann1, E. Lellouch1, C. Veillet3, J.-C. Cuillandre3, F. Colas4, F. Roques1, W. Beisker5, M. Kretlow5, A.-M. Lagrange6, E. Gendron1, F. Lacombe1, J. Lecacheux1, C. Birnbaum7, A. Fienga4, C. Leyrat1, A. Maury8, E. Raynaud1, S. Renner1, M. Schultheis9, K. Brooks10, A. Delsanti10, O. R. Hainaut10, R. Gilmozzi10, C. Lidman10, J. Spyromilio10, M. Rapaport11, P. Rosenzweig12, O. Naranjo12, L. Porras12, F. Díaz12, H. Calderón12, S. Carrillo13, A. Carvajal13, E. Recalde13, L. Gaviria Cavero14, C. Montalvo14, D. Barría15, R. Campos16, R. Duffard17 & H. Levato18

  1. Observatoire de Paris, LESIA, 92195 Meudon, France;
  2. Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France;
  3. Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, Waimea, Hawaii 96743, USA;
  4. Observatoire de Paris, IMCCE, 75014 Paris, France;
  5. International Occultation Timing Association, European Section, 30459 Hanover, Germany;
  6. Observatoire de Grenoble, 38041 Grenoble, France;
  7. Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, 75930 Paris, France;
  8. Gene Shoemaker Observatory, Casilla 21, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile;
  9. Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, 75014 Paris, France;
  10. European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 Chile;
  11. Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers, 33270 Floirac, France;
  12. Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Ciencias, 5101, Mérida, Venezuela;
  13. Cumbaya, 1722 Quito, Ecuador;
  14. Asociación Eta Carinae, Lima 1, Perú;
  15. Observatório Cerro Armazones, Universidad Católica del Norte, 1280 Antofagasta, Chile;
  16. Laboratório Nacional de Astrofísica, 37504-364, Itajubà, Brazil;
  17. Observatório Nacional, 20921-400, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;
  18. Complejo Astronómico, El Leoncito, CP J5402DSP, San Juan, Argentina.

Correspondence to: B. Sicardy1,2 Email: bruno.sicardy@obspm.fr

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Pluto's tenuous nitrogen atmosphere was first detected by the imprint left on the light curve of a star that was occulted by the planet in 1985 (ref. 1), and studied more extensively during a second occultation event in 1988 (refs 2–6). These events are, however, quite rare and Pluto's atmosphere remains poorly understood, as in particular the planet has not yet been visited by a spacecraft. Here we report data from the first occultations by Pluto since 1988. We find that, during the intervening 14 years, there seems to have been a doubling of the atmospheric pressure, a probable seasonal effect on Pluto.

  1. Observatoire de Paris, LESIA, 92195 Meudon, France;
  2. Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France;
  3. Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, Waimea, Hawaii 96743, USA;
  4. Observatoire de Paris, IMCCE, 75014 Paris, France;
  5. International Occultation Timing Association, European Section, 30459 Hanover, Germany;
  6. Observatoire de Grenoble, 38041 Grenoble, France;
  7. Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, 75930 Paris, France;
  8. Gene Shoemaker Observatory, Casilla 21, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile;
  9. Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, 75014 Paris, France;
  10. European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Casilla 19001, Santiago 19 Chile;
  11. Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers, 33270 Floirac, France;
  12. Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Ciencias, 5101, Mérida, Venezuela;
  13. Cumbaya, 1722 Quito, Ecuador;
  14. Asociación Eta Carinae, Lima 1, Perú;
  15. Observatório Cerro Armazones, Universidad Católica del Norte, 1280 Antofagasta, Chile;
  16. Laboratório Nacional de Astrofísica, 37504-364, Itajubà, Brazil;
  17. Observatório Nacional, 20921-400, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;
  18. Complejo Astronómico, El Leoncito, CP J5402DSP, San Juan, Argentina.

Correspondence to: B. Sicardy1,2 Email: bruno.sicardy@obspm.fr