(148975) 2001 XA255

Last updated
(148975) 2001 XA255
Discovery
Discovered by David C. Jewitt, Scott S. Sheppard and Jan Kleyna
Discovery date9 December 2001
Designations
(148975) 2001 XA255
Centaur
Orbital characteristics [1]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Observation arc 3812 days (10.44 yr)
Aphelion 48.731  AU (7.2901  Tm)
Perihelion 9.3364 AU (1.39671 Tm)
29.034 AU (4.3434 Tm)
Eccentricity 0.67843
156.44 yr (57141.1 d)
12.809°
0° 0m 22.681s / day
Inclination 12.628°
105.89°
90.452°
Jupiter  MOID 4.12722 AU (617.423 Gm)
Physical characteristics
12.5 km [2]
38 km [1] [3]
0.041 [1] [3]
11.1 [1]

    (148975) 2001 XA255, provisional designation : 2001 XA255, is a dark minor planet in the outer Solar System, classified as centaur, approximately 38 kilometers (24 miles) in diameter. [1] It was discovered on 9 December 2001, by David C. Jewitt, Scott S. Sheppard, and Jan Kleyna observing from the Mauna Kea Observatory. [4] The object is currently trapped in a 1:1 mean-motion resonance with Neptune following a path of the horseshoe type. [5]

    Contents

    Orbit and classification

    2001 XA255 follows a very eccentric orbit (0.68) with perihelion just inside the orbit of Saturn, aphelion in the trans-Neptunian belt and a semi-major axis of 28.9 AU. The orbital inclination of this object is moderate at 12.6º. [1]

    Resonance with Neptune

    2001 XA255 was identified as trapped in a 1:1 mean-motion resonance with Neptune and 1:2 with Uranus by T. Gallardo in 2006. [6] The object is dynamically unstable and it entered the region of the giant planets relatively recently, perhaps 50,000 years ago, from the scattered disk. It follows a short-lived horseshoe orbit around Neptune. [5]

    Physical characteristics

    The object has an estimated diameter of 12.5 km and it was classified as an inactive centaur by David Jewitt. [2] Observations by the NEOWISE mission gave a larger diameter of 37.7 kilometers and an albedo of 0.041. [3] It has an absolute magnitude is 11.1. [1]

    See also

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "148975 (2001 XA255)". JPL Small-Body Database . NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory . Retrieved 7 April 2016.
    2. 1 2 Jewitt, David C. (2009). "The Active Centaurs". The Astronomical Journal . 137 (5): 4296–4312. arXiv: 0902.4687 . Bibcode:2009AJ....137.4296J. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/137/5/4296. S2CID   18877930.
    3. 1 2 3 Johnston, Wm. Robert (18 August 2020). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
    4. ↑ Jewitt, David C.; Sheppard, S. S.; Kleyna, J.; Marsden, B. G. "2001 XA255". Minor Planet Electronic Circular .
    5. 1 2 de la Fuente Marcos, C.; de la Fuente Marcos, R. (2012). "Four temporary Neptune co-orbitals: (148975) 2001 XA255, (310071) 2010 KR59, (316179) 2010 EN65, and 2012 GX17". Astronomy and Astrophysics . 547: L2. arXiv: 1210.3466 . Bibcode:2012A&A...547L...2D. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220377. S2CID   118622987.
    6. ↑ ADS link Gallardo, T. (2006) Atlas of the mean-motion resonances in the Solar System
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