1996 PW

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1996 PW
1996PW NEAT-discovery-crop.gif
Discovery images of 1996 PW from NEAT-GEODSS in August 1996
Discovery [1] [2]
Discovered by NEAT
Discovery site Haleakala Obs.
Discovery date9 August 1996
Designations
1996 PW
TNO [3]  · damocloid [4] [5]
distant [1]  · unusual [6]
Orbital characteristics [3]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Observation arc 1.39 yr (506 d)
Aphelion 504.23 AU
Perihelion 2.4933 AU
253.36 AU
Eccentricity 0.9902
4033 yr (1,473,017 d)
2.0281°
0° 0m 0.72s / day
Inclination 29.956°
144.38°
181.60°
TJupiter 1.7130
Physical characteristics
7  km [4]
8 km (est. at 0.15) [2]
15 km (est. at 0.04) [2]
35.44  h [7] [8]
Ld (SMASS) [3] [7] [9]
D [8] [10]
B–R = 0.56±0.04
V–I = 1.03±0.06
V–J = 1.80±0.05
V–H = 2.19±0.05
V–K = 2.32±0.05 [8]
14.0 [1] [3]

    1996 PW is an exceptionally eccentric trans-Neptunian object and a damocloid on an orbit typical of long-period comets but one that showed no sign of cometary activity around the time it was discovered. [8] The unusual object measures approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) in diameter and has a rotation period of 35.4 hours and likely an elongated shape. [7]

    Contents

    Description

    1996 PW orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.5–504  AU once every 4,033 years (semi-major axis of 253 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.99 and an inclination of 30° with respect to the ecliptic. [3]

    Simulations indicate that it has most likely come from the Oort cloud, with a roughly equal probability of being an extinct comet and a rocky body that was originally scattered into the Oort cloud. The discovery of 1996 PW prompted theoretical research that suggests that roughly 1 to 2 percent of the Oort cloud objects are rocky. [2] [10]

    1996 PW was first observed on 9 August 1996 by the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) automated search camera on Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii. It is the first object that is not an active comet discovered on an orbit typical of long-period comets. [2]

    1996 PW has a rotation period of 35.44±0.02 hours and a double-peaked lightcurve with a high amplitude of 0.44±0.03 magnitude ( U=3 ). [7] [8] Its spectrum is moderately red and featureless, [11] typical of D-type asteroids and bare comet nuclei. [8] [10] [11] Its spectrum suggests an extinct comet. [11] The upper limit on 1996 PW's dust production is 0.03  kg/s . [8]

    See also

    References

    1. 1 2 3 "1996 PW". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
    2. 1 2 3 4 5 Weissman, Paul R.; Lecison, Harold F. (March 1997). "Origin and evolution of the unusual object 1996 PW". The Astrophysical Journal. 488 (2): 529. Bibcode:1997LPI....28.1529W. doi: 10.1086/310940 .
    3. 1 2 3 4 5 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (1996 PW)" (1997-12-28 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
    4. 1 2 Johnston, Wm. Robert (15 October 2017). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
    5. ↑ Akimasa Nakamura (2 May 2009). "Table of Damocloid objects, or Oort cloud asteroids". Lowell Observatory . Retrieved 17 January 2018.
    6. ↑ "List Of Other Unusual Objects". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
    7. 1 2 3 4 "LCDB Data for (1996+PW)". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 20 November 2018.
    8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Davies, John K.; McBride, Neil; Green, Simon F.; Mottola, Stefano; Carsenty, Uri; Basran, Devinder; et al. (April 1998). "The Lightcurve and Colors of Unusual Minor Planet 1996 PW". Icarus. 132 (2): 418–430. Bibcode:1998Icar..132..418D. doi:10.1006/icar.1998.5888.
    9. ↑ Bus, Schelte J.; Binzel, Richard P. (July 2002). "Phase II of the Small Main-Belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey. A Feature-Based Taxonomy" (PDF). Icarus. 158 (1): 146–177. Bibcode:2002Icar..158..146B. doi:10.1006/icar.2002.6856. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
    10. 1 2 3 Toth, Imre (December 2005). "Connections between asteroids and cometary nuclei". Asteroids. 1: 67–96. Bibcode:2006IAUS..229...67T. doi: 10.1017/S174392130500668X .
    11. 1 2 3 Hicks, M. D.; Buratti, B. J.; Newburn, R. L.; Rabinowitz, D. L. (February 2000). "Physical Observations of 1996 PW and 1997 SE5: Extinct Comets or D-Type Asteroids?". Icarus. 143 (2): 354–359. Bibcode:2000Icar..143..354H. doi:10.1006/icar.1999.6258.
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