Datasets:

juliensimon
/

pluto-atmosphere

altitude_km float64 1 115	radius_km float64 1.19k 1.3k	longitude_deg float64 15.6 194	latitude_deg float64 -17 15.2	local_solar_time_hr float64 4.69 16.5	solar_zenith_angle_deg float64 89.8 90.2	number_density_1e19_m3 float64 8.96 225	sigma_number_density float64 1.47 3.47	pressure_pa float64 0.12 1.21	sigma_pressure float64 0.02 0.07	temperature_k float64 38.6 107	sigma_temperature float64 2.06 7	profile stringclasses 2 values	instrument stringclasses 1 value	measurement_type stringclasses 1 value
115	1,302.4	193.6	-16.9	16.53	90.2	8.96	1.47	0.1182	0.0209	95.5	7	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
110	1,297.4	193.6	-16.9	16.53	90.2	9.77	1.53	0.1294	0.0225	95.89	6.45	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
105	1,292.4	193.6	-16.9	16.53	90.2	10.65	1.58	0.1417	0.0242	96.34	6	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
100	1,287.4	193.6	-16.9	16.53	90.2	11.61	1.63	0.1552	0.0261	96.83	5.65	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
95	1,282.4	193.6	-16.9	16.53	90.2	12.65	1.68	0.1701	0.0279	97.37	5.4	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
90	1,277.4	193.6	-16.9	16.53	90.2	13.79	1.73	0.1864	0.0299	97.95	5.23	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
85	1,272.4	193.6	-16.9	16.53	90.2	15.02	1.78	0.2043	0.032	98.56	5.13	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
80	1,267.4	193.5	-16.9	16.53	90.2	16.35	1.82	0.224	0.0341	99.2	5.1	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
75	1,262.4	193.5	-16.9	16.53	90.2	17.81	1.85	0.2456	0.0363	99.88	5.11	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
70	1,257.4	193.5	-16.9	16.53	90.2	19.39	1.88	0.2693	0.0386	100.56	5.17	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
65	1,252.4	193.5	-16.9	16.53	90.2	21.12	1.9	0.2953	0.0409	101.28	5.25	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
60	1,247.4	193.5	-16.9	16.53	90.2	22.99	1.91	0.3238	0.0434	102.02	5.36	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
55	1,242.4	193.5	-16.9	16.52	90.2	25.02	1.91	0.3551	0.0458	102.79	5.49	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
50	1,237.4	193.5	-16.9	16.52	90.2	27.24	1.89	0.3895	0.0482	103.57	5.63	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
45	1,232.4	193.5	-16.9	16.52	90.2	29.65	1.86	0.4272	0.0506	104.37	5.77	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
40	1,227.4	193.5	-16.9	16.52	90.2	32.27	1.81	0.4686	0.053	105.19	5.92	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
35	1,222.4	193.5	-16.9	16.52	90.2	35.11	1.74	0.514	0.0554	106.02	6.07	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
30	1,217.4	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	38.21	1.64	0.5638	0.0576	106.87	6.23	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
25	1,212.4	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	41.82	1.55	0.6186	0.0597	107.14	6.37	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
20	1,207.4	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	46.56	1.59	0.6796	0.0618	105.72	6.34	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
16	1,203.4	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	51.86	1.65	0.7344	0.0633	102.57	6.24	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
12	1,199.4	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	60.93	1.91	0.7976	0.0649	94.81	5.91	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
9	1,196.4	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	78.94	2.23	0.8567	0.066	78.61	4.98	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
7	1,194.4	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	110.62	2.55	0.9104	0.0667	59.61	3.8	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
5.3	1,192.7	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	151.62	3.15	0.9737	0.0674	46.51	2.92	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
4	1,191.4	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	180.48	3.47	1.0351	0.0679	41.54	2.51	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
3	1,190.4	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	202.28	3.4	1.0897	0.0683	39.02	2.25	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
2	1,189.4	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	215.7	3.37	1.1493	0.0687	38.59	2.13	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
1	1,188.4	193.5	-17	16.52	90.2	224.69	3.46	1.2123	0.0691	39.08	2.06	rex_entry	REX	temperature_pressure
110	1,302.4	15.6	15.2	4.69	89.8	8.96	1.47	0.1182	0.0209	95.5	7	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
105	1,297.4	15.6	15.2	4.69	89.8	9.77	1.53	0.1294	0.0225	95.89	6.45	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
100	1,292.4	15.6	15.2	4.69	89.8	10.65	1.58	0.1417	0.0242	96.34	6	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
95	1,287.4	15.6	15.2	4.69	89.8	11.61	1.63	0.1552	0.0261	96.83	5.65	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
90	1,282.4	15.6	15.2	4.69	89.8	12.65	1.68	0.1701	0.0279	97.37	5.4	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
85	1,277.4	15.6	15.2	4.69	89.8	13.79	1.73	0.1864	0.0299	97.95	5.23	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
80	1,272.4	15.6	15.2	4.69	89.8	15.02	1.78	0.2043	0.032	98.56	5.13	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
75	1,267.4	15.6	15.2	4.69	89.8	16.35	1.82	0.224	0.0341	99.2	5.1	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
70	1,262.4	15.6	15.2	4.69	89.8	17.81	1.85	0.2456	0.0363	99.88	5.11	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
65	1,257.4	15.6	15.2	4.69	89.8	19.39	1.88	0.2693	0.0386	100.56	5.17	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
60	1,252.4	15.6	15.2	4.7	89.8	21.12	1.9	0.2953	0.0409	101.28	5.25	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
55	1,247.4	15.6	15.2	4.7	89.8	22.99	1.91	0.3238	0.0434	102.02	5.36	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
50	1,242.4	15.6	15.2	4.7	89.8	25.02	1.91	0.3551	0.0458	102.79	5.49	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
45	1,237.4	15.6	15.2	4.7	89.8	27.24	1.89	0.3895	0.0482	103.57	5.63	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
40	1,232.4	15.6	15.2	4.7	89.8	29.65	1.86	0.4272	0.0506	104.37	5.77	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
35	1,227.4	15.7	15.2	4.7	89.8	32.27	1.81	0.4686	0.053	105.19	5.92	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
30	1,222.4	15.7	15.2	4.7	89.8	35.11	1.74	0.514	0.0554	106.02	6.07	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
25	1,217.4	15.7	15.1	4.7	89.8	38.49	1.65	0.564	0.0576	106.12	6.23	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
20	1,212.4	15.7	15.1	4.7	89.8	43.11	1.62	0.6199	0.0597	104.15	6.36	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
16	1,208.4	15.7	15.1	4.7	89.8	48.3	1.65	0.6703	0.0613	100.51	6.34	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
12	1,204.4	15.7	15.1	4.7	89.8	56.76	1.73	0.7287	0.0628	92.98	6	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
9	1,201.4	15.7	15.1	4.7	89.8	65.64	1.79	0.78	0.0638	86.07	5.59	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
7	1,199.4	15.7	15.1	4.7	89.8	73.48	1.86	0.8191	0.0644	80.73	5.25	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
5	1,197.4	15.7	15.1	4.7	89.8	84.2	2.03	0.8635	0.065	74.28	4.85	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
3	1,195.4	15.7	15.1	4.7	89.8	99.72	2.3	0.9154	0.0657	66.49	4.31	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure
1	1,193.4	15.7	15.1	4.7	89.8	124.37	3.01	0.9789	0.0662	57.01	3.7	rex_exit	REX	temperature_pressure

Pluto Atmospheric Profiles (New Horizons)

Saturn and its rings, captured by the Cassini spacecraft

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI

Part of the Solar System Datasets collection on Hugging Face.

The only direct measurements of Pluto's atmosphere, obtained during NASA's New Horizons flyby on July 14, 2015. This dataset includes vertical profiles of temperature, pressure, and number density from the REX radio occultation experiment, atmospheric composition (N2, CH4, C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, haze) from the Alice UV spectrometer, and haze brightness profiles from imaging.

Dataset description

When New Horizons flew past Pluto at 13.78 km/s, it performed two critical atmospheric experiments. The REX (Radio Science Experiment) instrument used radio occultation — measuring how the spacecraft's radio signal was refracted by Pluto's atmosphere — to derive temperature and pressure as a function of altitude. This produced entry and exit profiles covering the lower atmosphere from the surface (~1,190 km radius) to ~115 km altitude.

The Alice ultraviolet spectrometer observed solar and stellar occultations through Pluto's atmosphere, measuring the absorption signatures of nitrogen (N2), methane (CH4), acetylene (C2H2), ethylene (C2H4), ethane (C2H6), and photochemical haze. These observations revealed a complex atmospheric chemistry driven by UV photolysis of methane, producing hydrocarbon species that condense into the extensive haze layers visible in New Horizons' departure images.

Pluto's atmosphere is tenuous (surface pressure ~1 Pa, vs. Earth's 101,325 Pa) and primarily composed of nitrogen, with trace methane and carbon monoxide. It undergoes dramatic seasonal changes as Pluto's eccentric orbit (perihelion 29.7 AU, aphelion 49.3 AU) causes surface ices to sublime and refreeze over its 248-year orbital period.

Data tables

Config	Rows	Description
`rex_profiles`	55	Temperature, pressure, and number density vs. altitude (entry + exit occultations)
`alice_composition`	1785	Atmospheric mixing ratios and number densities of N2, CH4, C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, haze
`haze_profiles`	29	Azimuthally averaged haze I/F brightness vs. altitude

Quick stats (REX)

Altitude range: 1 -- 115 km above surface
Temperature range: 39 -- 107 K
Two profiles: entry (ingress) and exit (egress) occultation

Usage

from datasets import load_dataset

# Load REX temperature/pressure profiles
rex = load_dataset("juliensimon/pluto-atmosphere", "rex_profiles", split="train")
df = rex.to_pandas()

# Plot Pluto's atmospheric temperature profile
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
entry = df[df["profile"] == "rex_entry"]
exit_ = df[df["profile"] == "rex_exit"]
plt.plot(entry["temperature_k"], entry["altitude_km"], label="Entry")
plt.plot(exit_["temperature_k"], exit_["altitude_km"], label="Exit")
plt.xlabel("Temperature (K)")
plt.ylabel("Altitude (km)")
plt.title("Pluto Atmospheric Temperature Profile (New Horizons REX)")
plt.legend()
plt.show()

# Load composition data
alice = load_dataset("juliensimon/pluto-atmosphere", "alice_composition", split="train")

Data source

New Horizons Derived Pluto System Atmospherics, PDS Small Bodies Node: doi:10.26007/z5wm-yt67

Hinson et al. (2017), Radio occultation measurements of Pluto's neutral atmosphere with New Horizons, Icarus 290. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2017.02.031
Young et al. (2018), Structure and composition of Pluto's atmosphere from the New Horizons solar ultraviolet occultation, Icarus 300. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2017.09.006

Related datasets

Huygens Titan Atmosphere — Titan atmospheric profiles (Cassini-Huygens)
Galileo Jupiter Atmosphere — Jupiter atmospheric profiles (Galileo probe)
Solar System Moons — Physical properties of all known moons

Pipeline

Source code: juliensimon/space-datasets

Support

If you find this dataset useful, please give it a ❤️ on the dataset page and share feedback in the Community tab! Also consider giving a ⭐ to the space-datasets repo.

Citation

@dataset{pluto_atmosphere,
  author = {Simon, Julien},
  title = {Pluto Atmospheric Profiles (New Horizons)},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Hugging Face},
  url = {https://huggingface.co/datasets/juliensimon/pluto-atmosphere},
  note = {Based on New Horizons derived data, PDS Small Bodies Node}
}

License

CC-BY-4.0

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Size of downloaded dataset files:

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Size of the auto-converted Parquet files:

171 kB

Number of rows:

1,869

Collection including juliensimon/pluto-atmosphere

Space Probe & Mission Datasets

Collection

Voyager, Pioneer, Cassini, Mars Express, Rosetta, Curiosity, Perseverance, InSight. 50+ years of interplanetary spacecraft data in Parquet. • 17 items • Updated about 14 hours ago