2004 VN112
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovery date | 2004 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | 2004 VN112 |
| E-SDO (detached object)[1] |
|
| Orbital characteristics[1][2] | |
| Epoch 2457200.5 (2015-Jun-27) | |
| Aphelion | 601.6 ± 2.1 AU (Q) |
| Perihelion | 47.3312 ± 0.0038 AU (q) |
| 324.5 ± 1.1 AU (a) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.85413 ± 0.00049 |
| 5845 ± 30 yr | |
| 0.3521 ± 0.0020° (M) | |
| Inclination | 25.55126 ± 0.00037° |
| 66.02261 ± 0.00068° (Ω) | |
| 327.199 ± 0.010° (ω) | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 314 km (based on expected albedo)[3] 130–300 km[2][4] |
| Albedo | 0.04 (expected)[3] |
|
Spectral type
|
Blue[3] |
| 23.3[5] | |
| 6.4[2] | |
2004 VN112, also written as 2004 VN112, is a detached object[1] (because its perihelion is greater than 40 AU). It never gets closer than 47 AU from the Sun (near the outer edge of the main Kuiper belt) and averages more than 300 AU from the Sun. Its large eccentricity strongly suggests that it was gravitationally scattered onto its current orbit. Because it is, like all detached objects, outside of the current gravitational influence of Neptune, how it came to have this orbit cannot yet be explained. It has only been observed 31 times over six oppositions.[2] For comparison, Sedna has been observed 88 times.[6] Sedna and 2000 CR105 have similar orbits (perihelion greater than 40 AU and semi-major axis greater than 200 AU).
2004 VN112 was observed by the Hubble Space Telescope in November 2008.[7] It reached perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) in 2009[2] and is currently 47.6 AU from the Sun.[5]
Michael Brown's website lists it as a possible dwarf planet with a diameter of 314 kilometres (195 mi) based on an assumed albedo of 0.04.[3] The albedo is expected to be low because the object has a blue (neutral) color.[3] However, if the albedo is higher, the object could easily be half that size.
2004 VN112 is one of twelve objects discovered in the Solar System to have a semi-major axis > 150 AU, a perihelion beyond Neptune, and an argument of perihelion of 340 ± 55°.[8] Of these, only five, including 2004 VN112, have perihelia beyond Neptune's current influence.
2004 VN112's orbit is very similar to that of 2013 RF98, indicating that they may have both been thrown onto the orbit by the same body, or that they may have been the same object at one point.
Comparison
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
- JPL Small-Body Database Browser
