(55638) 2002 VE95

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(55638) 2002 VE95
Discovery [1] [2]
Discovered by NEAT
Discovery site Palomar Obs.
Discovery date14 November 2002
Designations
(55638) 2002 VE95
2002 VE95
TNO [3]  · plutino [4] [5]
Orbital characteristics [3]
Epoch 1 July 2021 (JD 2459396.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2 [3]  ·0 [1]
Observation arc 27.27 yr (9,960 d)
Earliest precovery date12 October 1990
Aphelion 50.441 AU
Perihelion 27.910 AU
39.176 AU
Eccentricity 0.2876
245.21 yr (89,562 d)
29.369°
0° 0m 14.4s / day
Inclination 16.327°
199.72°
29 June 2001
206.35°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
249.8  km [6] [7] [8]
6.76  h (ambiguous) [6] [9] [10]
0.149 [7]
20.64 [13]
5.3 [1] [3]
5.70±0.06 [7]

    (55638) 2002 VE95 (provisional designation 2002 VE95) is a trans-Neptunian object from the outermost region of the Solar System. It was discovered on 14 November 2002, by astronomers with the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking program at the Palomar Observatory in California, United States. [1] This resonant trans-Neptunian object is a member of the plutino population, locked in a 2:3 resonance with Neptune. The object is likely of primordial origin with a heterogeneous surface and a notably reddish color (RR) attributed to the presence of methanol and tholins. It has a poorly defined rotation period of 6.8 hours and measures approximately 250 kilometers (160 miles) in diameter, too small to be a dwarf planet candidate. As of 2021, it has not yet been named.

    Contents

    Orbit and classification

    2002 VE95 belongs to the plutino population, named after its largest member, Pluto. Plutinos are resonant trans-Neptunian objects, that are locked in a stable 2:3 mean-motion resonance with Neptune, orbiting the Sun twice for every three orbits Neptune does. [4] [5] They form a significantly large part of the inner Kuiper belt, as hundreds of these objects have already been discovered.

    This minor planet orbits the Sun at a distance of 27.9–50.4  AU once every 245 years and 3 months (89,562 days; semi-major axis of 39.18 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.29 and an inclination of 16° with respect to the ecliptic. [3] On 29 June 2001, it came to perihelion and has since been moving away from the Sun. Due to precovery images recovered from the Digitized Sky Survey, the body's observation arc begins already in October 1990, or 12 years prior to its official discovery observation by astronomers with the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking at Palomar. [1]

    Numbering and naming

    2002 VE95 was numbered (55638) by the Minor Planet Center on 16 February 2003 ( M.P.C. 47763). [14] As of 2021, it has not been named. [1] According to the established naming conventions for plutinos, it will be named after a mythological figure from the underworld. [15]

    Physical characteristics

    Rotation period

    The rotation period of 2002 VE95 is poorly defined and has ambiguous results with multiple alternative period solutions between 4.90 and 10 hours. [6] In December 2002, a rotational lightcurve of this object was obtained from photometric observations by astronomers from the Sierra Nevada Observatory in Spain. Lightcurve analysis gave a poorly defined period of 6.76±0.01 hours with a brightness variation of 0.08±0.04 magnitude ( U=1+ ). [9] Two years later in December 2004, it was revisited by the same astronomers, obtaining another poorly defined period of 9.97±0.05 hours with an amplitude of 0.05±0.01 magnitude ( U=1+ ). [10] Other observations by Sheppard only determined an amplitude of less than 0.06 magnitude ( U=1 ). [16]

    Diameter and albedo

    In 2010, observations with the Herschel Space Telescope, using its PACS instrument to measure the object's thermal radiation, gave a mean diameter of 249.8+13.5
    −13.1     km     with a relatively high albedo of 0.149+0.019
    −0.016     for an absolute magnitude of 5.70±0.06. [7] [8] In addition, an asteroid occultations on 3 December 2015, gave a best-fit ellipse dimension of (250.0 km × 250.0 km) with an poor quality rating of 1. [8] These timed observations are taken when the asteroid passes in front of a distant star. [8] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes a more regular albedo for a distant object of 0.10 and hence estimates a larger diameter of 297 kilometers. [6]

    Color and composition

    In the visible light, 2002 VE95 has a featureless reflectance spectrum. [17] It is very red in color (RR), [11] with a color index of 1.080 and 0.71, in the B–V and V−R passband filters, respectively. [6] [12]

    The near-infrared spectrum of 2002 VE95 is flat with two distinct absorption bands of water ice at 1.5 and 2.0  μm. There is the third feature near 2.3 μm of unclear origin. [18] The spectral behavior of this object is similar to 5145 Pholus, a centaur. [18] Observations with the Very Large Telescope revealed that 2002 VE95 has a heterogeneous surface—the amount of different ices and non-ice components depends on the observed area. Among the probable surface materials are water ice (4–19%), methanol ice (10–12%), and various tholins, photochemically altered organic compounds, also found on Triton and Titan. The redder areas are generally associated with the presence of methanol ice. The surface of 2002 VE95 appears to be primordial in origin. [19]

    Related Research Articles

    5145 Pholus is an eccentric centaur in the outer Solar System, approximately 180 kilometers in diameter, that crosses the orbit of both Saturn and Neptune. It was discovered on 9 January 1992 by American astronomer David Rabinowitz (uncredited) of UA's Spacewatch survey at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, United States. The very reddish object has an elongated shape and a rotation period of 9.98 hours. It was named after the centaur Pholus from Greek mythology.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">28978 Ixion</span> Plutino

    28978 Ixion (, provisional designation 2001 KX76) is a large trans-Neptunian object and a possible dwarf planet. It is located in the Kuiper belt, a region of icy objects orbiting beyond Neptune in the outer Solar System. Ixion is classified as a plutino, a dynamical class of objects in a 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune. It was discovered in May 2001 by astronomers of the Deep Ecliptic Survey at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, and was announced in July 2001. The object is named after the Greek mythological figure Ixion, who was a king of the Lapiths.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">38628 Huya</span> Trans-Neptunian object

    38628 Huya ( hoo-YAH; provisional designation 2000 EB173) is a binary trans-Neptunian object located in the Kuiper belt, a region of icy objects orbiting beyond Neptune in the outer Solar System. Huya is classified as a plutino, a dynamical class of trans-Neptunian objects with orbits in a 3:2 orbital resonance with Neptune. It was discovered by the Quasar Equatorial Survey Team and was identified by Venezuelan astronomer Ignacio Ferrín in March 2000. It is named after Juyá, the mythological rain god of the Wayuu people native to South America.

    <span class="nowrap">(55565) 2002 AW<sub>197</sub></span> Classical Kuiper belt object

    (55565) 2002 AW197 (provisional designation 2002 AW197) is a classical, non-resonant trans-Neptunian object from the Kuiper belt in the outermost region of the Solar System, also known as a cubewano. With a likely diameter of at least 700 kilometers (430 miles), it is approximately tied with 2002 MS4 and 2013 FY27 (to within measurement uncertainties) as the largest unnamed object in the Solar System. It was discovered at Palomar Observatory in 2002.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">7066 Nessus</span>

    7066 Nessus is a very red centaur on an eccentric orbit, located beyond Saturn in the outer Solar System. It was discovered on 26 April 1993, by astronomers of the Spacewatch program at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson, Arizona. The dark and reddish minor planet is likely elongated and measures approximately 60 kilometers in diameter. It was named after Nessus from Greek mythology.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">10199 Chariklo</span> Small body of the outer Solar System

    10199 Chariklo is the largest confirmed centaur. It orbits the Sun between Saturn and Uranus, grazing the orbit of Uranus. On 26 March 2014, astronomers announced the discovery of two rings around Chariklo by observing a stellar occultation, making it the first minor planet known to have rings.

    <span class="nowrap">(208996) 2003 AZ<sub>84</sub></span> Plutino

    (208996) 2003 AZ84 (provisional designation 2003 AZ84) is a trans-Neptunian object with a possible moon located in the outer regions of the Solar System. It is approximately 940 kilometers across its longest axis, as it has an elongated shape. It belongs to the plutinos – a group of minor planets named after its largest member Pluto – as it orbits in a 2:3 resonance with Neptune in the Kuiper belt. It is the third-largest known plutino, after Pluto and Orcus. It was discovered on 13 January 2003, by American astronomers Chad Trujillo and Michael Brown during the NEAT survey using the Samuel Oschin telescope at Palomar Observatory.

    <span class="nowrap">(15875) 1996 TP<sub>66</sub></span> Resonant trans-Neptunian object

    (15875) 1996 TP66 (provisional designation 1996 TP66) is a resonant trans-Neptunian object of the plutino population, located in the outermost region of the Solar System, approximately 154 kilometers (96 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 11 October 1996, by astronomers Jane Luu, David C. Jewitt and Chad Trujillo at the Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, in the United States. The very reddish RR-type with a highly eccentric orbit has been near its perihelion around the time of its discovery. This minor planet was numbered in 2000 and has since not been named. It is probably not a dwarf planet candidate.

    (24835) 1995 SM55 (provisional designation 1995 SM55) is a trans-Neptunian object and member of the Haumea family that resides in the Kuiper belt, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was discovered on 19 September 1995, by American astronomer Nichole Danzl of the Spacewatch program at Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. It measures approximately 200 kilometers in diameter and was the second-brightest known object in the Kuiper belt, after Pluto, until 1996 TO66 was discovered.

    (35671) 1998 SN165 (provisional designation 1998 SN165) is a trans-Neptunian object from the Kuiper belt located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was discovered on 23 September 1998, by American astronomer Arianna Gleason at the Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona. The cold classical Kuiper belt object is a dwarf planet candidate, as it measures approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) in diameter. It has a grey-blue color (BB) and a rotation period of 8.8 hours. As of 2021, it has not been named.

    <span class="nowrap">(40314) 1999 KR<sub>16</sub></span>

    (40314) 1999 KR16 is a trans-Neptunian object on an eccentric orbit in the outermost region of the Solar System, approximately 254 kilometers (158 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 16 May 1999, by French astronomer Audrey Delsanti and Oliver Hainaut at ESO's La Silla Observatory in northern Chile. The very reddish object is a dwarf planet candidate and has a rotation period of 11.7 hours.

    83982 Crantor (provisional designation 2002 GO9) is a centaur in a 1:1 resonance with Uranus, approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 12 April 2002, by astronomers of the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking at the Palomar Observatory in California, United States. This minor planet was named for Crantor from Greek mythology.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">32532 Thereus</span>

    32532 Thereus (; provisional designation 2001 PT13) is a centaur from the outer Solar System, approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 9 August 2001, by astronomers of the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking program at the Palomar Observatory in California, United States. This minor planet was named for the phrase thēreios bia 'beastly strength', used to describe centaurs in Greek mythology.

    <span class="nowrap">(455502) 2003 UZ<sub>413</sub></span>

    (455502) 2003 UZ413 (provisional designation 2003 UZ413) is a trans-Neptunian object (TNO) with an absolute magnitude of 4.38. It is in a 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune, thus it is classified as a plutino. There are indications it may be dense enough to be a dwarf planet. It was given the minor planet number 455502 on 22 February 2016.

    (144897) 2004 UX10 (provisional designation 2004 UX10) is a Kuiper-belt object. It has a diameter of about 360 kilometres (220 mi) and was discovered by Andrew Becker, Andrew Puckett and Jeremy Kubica on 20 October 2004 at Apache Point Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico. The object is classified as a cubewano. It is near a 2:3 resonance with Neptune.

    (469306) 1999 CD158 (provisional designation 1999 CD158) is a trans-Neptunian object from the circumstellar disc of the Kuiper belt, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. The relatively bright hot classical Kuiper belt object measures approximately 310 kilometers (190 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 10 February 1999, by American astronomers Jane Luu, David Jewitt, and Chad Trujillo at Mauna Kea Observatories on the Big Island of Hawaii, United States.

    <span class="nowrap">(82158) 2001 FP<sub>185</sub></span>

    (82158) 2001 FP185 (provisional designation 2001 FP185) is a highly eccentric trans-Neptunian object from the scattered disc in the outermost part of the Solar System, approximately 330 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 26 March 2001, by American astronomer Marc Buie at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, United States.

    <span class="nowrap">(416400) 2003 UZ<sub>117</sub></span>

    (416400) 2003 UZ117 (provisional designation 2003 UZ117) is a trans-Neptunian object and suspected member of the Haumea family, located in the Kuiper belt in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was discovered on 24 October 2003, by astronomers of the Spacewatch survey project at Kitt Peak Observatory, Arizona. The object may also be a non-resonant cubewano.

    12929 Periboea, provisional designation: 1999 TZ1, is a dark Jupiter trojan from the Trojan camp, approximately 54 kilometers (34 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 2 October 1999, by American astronomer Charles W. Juels at the Fountain Hills Observatory in Arizona. Originally considered a centaur, this now re-classified Jovian asteroid has a rotation period of 9.3 hours and belongs to the 80 largest Jupiter trojans. It was named from Greek mythology after Periboea, mother of Pelagon by the river-god Axius.

    2011 MM4, provisional designation: 2011 MM4, is a sizable centaur and retrograde damocloid from the outer Solar System, approximately 64 kilometers (40 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 24 June 2011, by astronomers with the Pan-STARRS 1 at the Haleakala Obs. in Hawaii.

    References

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    2. ↑ "MPEC 2008-O05 : Distant Minor Planets". Minor Planet Center & Tamkin Foundation Computer Network. 17 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
    3. 1 2 3 4 5 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 55638 (2002 VE95)" (2018-01-18 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory . Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    4. 1 2 3 Johnston, Wm. Robert (18 August 2020). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    5. 1 2 "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 55638". Southwest Research Institute . Retrieved 26 July 2021. The Deep Ecliptic Survey Object Classifications
    6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "LCDB Data for (55638)". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    7. 1 2 3 4 5 Mommert, M.; Harris, A. W.; Kiss, C.; Pál, A.; Santos-Sanz, P.; Stansberry, J.; et al. (May 2012). "TNOs are cool: A survey of the trans-Neptunian region. V. Physical characterization of 18 Plutinos using Herschel-PACS observations". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 541: A93. arXiv: 1202.3657 . Bibcode:2012A&A...541A..93M. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118562. ISSN   0004-6361.
    8. 1 2 3 4 "Asteroid (55638) 2002 VE95 – Nesvorny HCM Asteroid Families V3.0". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    9. 1 2 Ortiz, J. L.; Gutiérrez, P. J.; Santos-Sanz, P.; Casanova, V.; Sota, A. (March 2006). "Short-term rotational variability of eight KBOs from Sierra Nevada Observatory". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 447 (3): 1131–1144. Bibcode:2006A&A...447.1131O. doi: 10.1051/0004-6361:20053572 . ISSN   0004-6361.
    10. 1 2 Thirouin, A.; Ortiz, J. L.; Duffard, R.; Santos-Sanz, P.; Aceituno, F. J.; Morales, N. (November 2010). "Short-term variability of a sample of 29 trans-Neptunian objects and Centaurs". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 522: A93. arXiv: 1004.4841 . Bibcode:2010A&A...522A..93T. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200912340. ISSN   0004-6361. S2CID   54039561.
    11. 1 2 Perna, D.; Barucci, M. A.; Fornasier, S.; DeMeo, F. E.; Alvarez-Candal, A.; Merlin, F.; et al. (February 2010). "Colors and taxonomy of Centaurs and trans-Neptunian objects". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 510: A53. arXiv: 0912.2621 . Bibcode:2010A&A...510A..53P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913654. ISSN   0004-6361. S2CID   55619450.
    12. 1 2 3 4 Tegler, S. C.; Romanishin, W.; Consolmagno, G. J.; J., S. (December 2016). "Two Color Populations of Kuiper Belt and Centaur Objects and the Smaller Orbital Inclinations of Red Centaur Objects". The Astronomical Journal. 152 (6): 210. Bibcode:2016AJ....152..210T. doi: 10.3847/0004-6256/152/6/210 . ISSN   0004-6256. S2CID   125183388.
    13. ↑ "Asteroid (55638) 2002 VE95 – Proper Elements". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    14. ↑ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
    15. ↑ "Naming of Astronomical Objects – Minor planets". IAU – International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
    16. ↑ Sheppard, Scott S.; Jewitt, David C. (June 2003). "Hawaii Kuiper Belt Variability Project: An Update". Earth, Moon, and Planets. 92 (1): 207–219. Bibcode:2003EM&P...92..207S. doi:10.1023/B:MOON.0000031943.12968.46. ISSN   0167-9295. S2CID   189905992. The Solar System Beyond Neptune, Photometric Lightcurves of Transneptunian Objects and Centaurs: Rotations, Shapes, and Densities, University of Arizona Press, p.129–142
    17. ↑ Fornasier, S.; Barucci, M.A.; De Bergh, C.; Alvarez-Candal, A.; Demeo, F.; Merlin, F.; Perna, D.; Guilbert, A.; Delsanti, A.; Dotto, E.; Doressoundiram, A. (2009). "Visible spectroscopy of the new ESO large programme on trans-Neptunian objects and Centaurs: final results". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 508 (1): 457–465. arXiv: 0910.0450 . Bibcode:2009A&A...508..457F. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200912582. S2CID   8479334.
    18. 1 2 Barucci, M. A.; Merlin, F.; Dotto, E.; Doressoundiram, A.; De Bergh, C. (2006). "TNO surface ices Observations of the TNO 55638 (2002 VE95) and analysis of the population's spectral properties". Astronomy and Astrophysics . 455 (2): 725–730. Bibcode:2006A&A...455..725B. doi: 10.1051/0004-6361:20064951 .
    19. ↑ Barucci, M. A.; Merlin, F.; Perna, D.; Alvarez-Candal, A.; Müller, T.; Mommert, M.; et al. (March 2012). "The extra red plutino (55638) 2002 VE95". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 539: A152. Bibcode:2012A&A...539A.152B. doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201118505 . ISSN   0004-6361.
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