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Robert Walker
Just to add to these answers - on Earth we can see Venus in daylight by blocking the sun behind a tree. So on Pluto - could do likewise. If you can arrange a cliff in the way between Pluto and the Sun, don't have to use Charon in the thin atmosphere there. And - in the case of the Moon then the astronauts couldn't see stars because of the bright landscape which blinded them so they couldn't become dark adapted. But in the case of Pluto that wouldn't be so much of an issue. Still, the light on Pluto is not that different from illumination of a reasonably well lit room, so - I think you might be blinded somewhat from seeing the Earth.

So - maybe you'd need to stand in the right place, with the sun behind a cliff, and block out the light coming from the landscape around you - shield your eyes - and then you might be able to see it once your eyes are dark adapted :).

Charon's orbit around Pluto currently doesn't take it between it and the sun:

NASA Space Place

Another image
The New Horizons science mission to the Pluto-Charon system is about to begin

Right now the Pluto / Charon system is pretty much face on to the sun. And Pluto's sunward pointing pole is in full sunlight and the other pole is in darkness.

So another idea - well why not just go to the terminator, in whatever is the right direction - so downwards in this diagram, so that the sun sets but the Earth hasn't set yet. Then you'll see the faint Earth just 0.24 degrees above the horizon. And the landscape around you will be dark so your eyes will be dark adapted. So then I think you will see Earth from Pluto.

About the Author

Robert Walker

Robert Walker

Writer of articles on Mars and Space issues - Software Developer of Tune Smithy, Bounce Metronome etc.
Studied at Wolfson College, Oxford
Lives in Isle of Mull
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