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So watching Horizon (Science program) about Pluto, if Pluto and Charon are orbiting each other would this cause some sort of tidal heating in either or both bodies or does the orbit need to be more of a oval rather than circular for that to happen so the bodies are further away and then closer during the orbital period.

new Horizons has given us a lot of really interesting questions about what was originally thought to be just a body of rock, if there is also at atmosphere would this add weight to getting pluto reinstated as a Planet rather than a dwarf planet. ?

@Paul Sutton They're both tidally locked to each other. If their orbits were perfectly circular, there shouldn't be any tidal heating.

So yes, at least one of the orbits would have to be oval.

@jupiter_rowland
Ah thanks, that explains the bit I didn't quiet understand, we are going to need another mission as there is much that needs fresh investigation.

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