# Brightness of daylight on Pluto, in real terms **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2015, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brightness-of-daylight-on-pluto-in-real-terms/733430 "2015-10-03T22:30:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brightness-of-daylight-on-pluto-in-real-terms/733430/21 "2015-10-05T21:15:14Z")
Some people in this thread have mentioned what is known as the [conservation of brightness](http://www.cv.nrao.edu/course/astr534/Brightness.html). It’s one of those concept that many don’t think about but (at least for me) when explained makes perfect since. So you will fry your retinas equally on Mercury and well as Neptune if looking at the Sun. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brightness-of-daylight-on-pluto-in-real-terms/733430/22 "2015-10-05T22:52:26Z")
I used that time of day calculator and am amazed that Pluto could be so bright from such a far distance. Pretty much now is how bright it wold be on Pluto at noon. That’s rather unbelievable. 6:40 EST is what I got for Ottawa, although now that I look at it I don’t know if that’s standard or daylight saving time. If it’s standard time it will be much darker. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brightness-of-daylight-on-pluto-in-real-terms/733430/23 "2015-10-05T23:10:23Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Pluto looks quite a nice place to visit; I’m thinking of spending a week there between Christmas and New Year. Obviously it’s a long way from the sun, so I know it’s not going to be so warm as the planet you have here, and more importantly to me, not so bright. > > … Expect hostility. The Plutonians have short tempers and are pissed about losing their planet status. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brightness-of-daylight-on-pluto-in-real-terms/733430/24 "2015-10-06T17:23:45Z")
I would think that, as an apparent point instead of a discernable disc, the sunlight would create razor-sharp shadows. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brightness-of-daylight-on-pluto-in-real-terms/733430/25 "2015-10-06T18:47:24Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I used that time of day calculator and am amazed that Pluto could be so bright from such a far distance. Pretty much now is how bright it wold be on Pluto at noon. That’s rather unbelievable. > > 6:40 EST is what I got for Ottawa, although now that I look at it I don’t know if that’s standard or daylight saving time. If it’s standard time it will be much darker. Just did it too, and it’s 6:40 EDT - so daylight time. Like you, I’m surprised Pluto at noon is that bright, but then again, the sun sets at about 10 minutes after that today. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brightness-of-daylight-on-pluto-in-real-terms/733430.md?page=1)