Discovery [1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | M. E. Schwamb M. E. Brown D. L. Rabinowitz |
Discovery date | September 24, 2008 |
Designations | |
MPC designation | 2008 ST291 |
TNO (SDO) [2] [3] 6:1? [3] | |
Orbital characteristics [4] | |
Epoch 23 March 2018 (JD 2458200.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 4 | |
Observation arc | 3286 days (9.00 yr) |
Aphelion | 156.396 AU (23.3965 Tm) |
Perihelion | 42.271 AU (6.3237 Tm) |
99.333 AU (14.8600 Tm) | |
Eccentricity | 0.57445 |
990.04 yr (361611 d) | |
23.2101° | |
0.0009955°/day | |
Inclination | 20.7849° |
331.0475° | |
324.3727° | |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 612 km (est. at 0.09) [5] 370–820 km (generic) [6] |
22.3 [1] [7] | |
4.2 [4] | |
2008 ST291, also written as 2008 ST291, is a trans-Neptunian object with an absolute magnitude of 4.2, [4] making it possibly a dwarf planet. [8] It is located near the 1:6 Neptune resonance of 99.4 AU (compared to its 99.3 ± 0.2 AU), meaning that it completes roughly 1 orbit for every 6 orbits Neptune makes. [3]
A trans-Neptunian object (TNO), also written transneptunian object, is any minor planet in the Solar System that orbits the Sun at a greater average distance than Neptune, which has a semi-major axis of 30.1 astronomical units (AU).
Absolute magnitude is a measure of the luminosity of a celestial object, on a logarithmic astronomical magnitude scale. An object's absolute magnitude is defined to be equal to the apparent magnitude that the object would have if it were viewed from a distance of exactly 10 parsecs, with no extinction of its light due to absorption by interstellar dust particles. By hypothetically placing all objects at a standard reference distance from the observer, their luminosities can be directly compared on a magnitude scale. As with all astronomical magnitudes, the absolute magnitude can be specified for different wavelength ranges corresponding to specified filter bands or passbands; for stars a commonly quoted absolute magnitude is the absolute visual magnitude, which uses the visual (V) band of the spectrum. Absolute magnitudes are denoted by a capital M, with a subscript representing the filter band used for measurement, such as MV for absolute magnitude in the V band.
In astronomy, a resonant trans-Neptunian object is a trans-Neptunian object (TNO) in mean-motion orbital resonance with Neptune. The orbital periods of the resonant objects are in a simple integer relations with the period of Neptune e.g. 1:2, 2:3 etc. Resonant TNOs can be either part of the main Kuiper belt population, or the more distant scattered disc population.
2008 ST291 is estimated to be about 612 kilometres (380 mi) in diameter, assuming a typical albedo of 0.09 for trans-Neptunian objects. [5] However, because its albedo is unknown and it has an absolute magnitude of 4.2, [4] it could be anywhere between 370 and 820 km in diameter. [6]
2008 ST291, currently 60.9 AU from the Sun, [7] came to perihelion in 1954. [4] It takes almost one thousand years to orbit the Sun.
The astronomical unit is a unit of length, roughly the distance from Earth to the Sun. However, that distance varies as Earth orbits the Sun, from a maximum (aphelion) to a minimum (perihelion) and back again once a year. Originally conceived as the average of Earth's aphelion and perihelion, since 2012 it has been defined as exactly 149597870700 metres or about 150 million kilometres. The astronomical unit is used primarily for measuring distances within the Solar System or around other stars. It is also a fundamental component in the definition of another unit of astronomical length, the parsec.
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect sphere of hot plasma, with internal convective motion that generates a magnetic field via a dynamo process. It is by far the most important source of energy for life on Earth. Its diameter is about 1.39 million kilometers, or 109 times that of Earth, and its mass is about 330,000 times that of Earth. It accounts for about 99.86% of the total mass of the Solar System. Roughly three quarters of the Sun's mass consists of hydrogen (~73%); the rest is mostly helium (~25%), with much smaller quantities of heavier elements, including oxygen, carbon, neon, and iron.
The term apsis refers to an extreme point in the orbit of an object. It denotes either the points on the orbit, or the respective distance of the bodies. The word comes via Latin from Greek, there denoting a whole orbit, and is cognate with apse. Except for the theoretical possibility of one common circular orbit for two bodies of equal mass at diametral positions, there are two apsides for any elliptic orbit, named with the prefixes peri- and ap-/apo- added to a reference to the body being orbited. All periodic orbits are, according to Newton's Laws of motion, ellipses: either the two individual ellipses of both bodies, with the center of mass of this two-body system at the one common focus of the ellipses, or the orbital ellipses, with one body taken as fixed at one focus, and the other body orbiting this focus. All these ellipses share a straight line, the line of apsides, that contains their major axes, the foci, and the vertices, and thus also the periapsis and the apoapsis. The major axis of the orbital ellipse is the distance of the apsides, when taken as points on the orbit, or their sum, when taken as distances.
2008 ST291 has only been observed 28 times over four oppositions and has an orbit quality of 4 (0 being best; 9 being worst). [4]
In positional astronomy, two astronomical objects are said to be in opposition when they are on opposite sides of the celestial sphere, as observed from a given body.
Most-distant known objects in the Solar System as of 2 October 2018 [update] [9] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Object name | Distance from the Sun (AU) | Apparent magnitude | Absolute magnitude (H) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current | Perihelion | Aphelion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
V774104 | 103? | Unknown | Unknown | 24 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eris | 96.10 | 37.8 | 97.6 | 18.7 | −1.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 UZ224 | 90.70 | 38.0 | 179.8 | 23.2 | 3.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 TH367 | 89.32 | 28.6 | 139.7 | 26.2 | 6.6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2007 OR10 | 88.08 | 33.0 | 100.8 | 21.7 | 1.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sedna | 85.00 | 76.0 | 939 | 21.0 | 1.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 FC69 | 84.87 | 40.3 | 106.9 | 24.1 | 4.6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 FS28 | 84.55 | 34.6 | 347.6 | 24.5 | 4.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2006 QH181 | 83.98 | 37.8 | 96.7 | 23.6 | 4.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012 VP113 | 83.72 | 80.5 | 438 | 23.4 | 4.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 VO166 | 83.44 | 38.2 | 113 | 25.2 | 5.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 UH87 | 81.80 | 34.7 | 90.1 | 25.3 | 6.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 FY27 | 80.02 | 36.1 | 81.8 | 22.1 | 3.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 TG387 | 78.65 | 64.9 | 2120 | 24.3 | 5.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2017 FO161 | 78.57 | 33.1 | 93.9 | 24.2 | 5.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 TJ367 | 78.25 | 33.5 | 127.5 | 25.7 | 6.7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 VJ168 | 72.90 | 37.4 | 81.3 | 24.6 | 5.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010 GB174 | 72.16 | 48.7 | 693 | 25.1 | 6.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 GN55 | 71.56 | 32.7 | 78.4 | 24.5 | 5.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 FJ72 | 71.41 | 38.7 | 152.2 | 24.2 | 5.6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2016 TS97 | 71.36 | 36.2 | 71.6 | 24.8 | 6.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 VL168 | 70.86 | 37.6 | 136 | 25.3 | 6.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012 FH84 | 68.80 | 45.8 | 80.6 | 25.7 | 7.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 RZ277 | 68.45 | 34.3 | 90.0 | 25.5 | 6.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 GR50 | 68.41 | 35.6 | 78.6 | 25.1 | 6.7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 GP50 | 67.87 | 40.3 | 70.3 | 24.8 | 6.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 FQ28 | 67.86 | 48.7 | 80.6 | 24.4 | 6.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2016 CD289 | 66.66 | 36.8 | 75.3 | 25.6 | 7.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 UD228 | 66.23 | 36.4 | 73.0 | 24.4 | 6.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 KV167 | 65.16 | 38.2 | 65.3 | 25.4 | 7.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 UJ15 | 65.06 | 36.3 | 69.2 | 25.2 | 7.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 FL72 | 64.69 | 38.2 | 170.4 | 25.0 | 6.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 FD70 | 64.51 | 38.6 | 69.3 | 25.0 | 6.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 KG172 | 64.05 | 42.1 | 68.7 | 24.1 | 6.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 SU349 | 63.50 | 30.8 | 109.8 | 25.0 | 7.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 RL258 | 63.35 | 34.7 | 67.8 | 24.7 | 6.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 KF172 | 63.23 | 38.2 | 102.8 | 23.6 | 5.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 RR245 | 63.02 | 33.7 | 129.2 | 22.1 | 3.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2011 GM89 | 62.87 | 37.2 | 68.8 | 25.6 | 7.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 AT183 | 62.77 | 36.0 | 88.1 | 22.0 | 4.7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 FE72 | 62.47 | 36.3 | 4274.0 | 24.1 | 6.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2017 DO121 | 62.00 | 26.7 | 185.6 | 25.6 | 7.6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2000 CR105 | 61.85 | 44.3 | 412 | 23.9 | 6.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 VG157 | 61.79 | 39.0 | 68.5 | 25.5 | 7.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 SV349 | 61.57 | 34.2 | 89.0 | 23.0 | 5.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008 ST291 | 60.96 | 42.4 | 154.5 | 22.2 | 4.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 RX245 | 60.76 | 45.5 | 768.9 | 24.2 | 6.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 FM72 | 60.55 | 34.4 | 76.6 | 24.1 | 6.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2017 DP121 | 60.33 | 40.5 | 60.4 | 25.1 | 7.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 FF72 | 60.25 | 37.1 | 63.3 | 24.8 | 6.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2003 QX113 | 60.16 | 36.7 | 62.1 | 22.5 | 4.7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 KH162 | 59.76 | 41.5 | 82.8 | 21.6 | 3.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 FU403 | 59.75 | 34.0 | 88.4 | 25.3 | 7.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 GW55 | 59.65 | 34.0 | 137.6 | 24.5 | 6.7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 JQ64 | 59.40 | 22.6 | 76.0 | 24.4 | 6.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 RK258 | 59.03 | 35.8 | 111.8 | 24.9 | 7.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This table includes all known objects currently located at least twice as far as Neptune. [9] See List of trans-Neptunian objects for more. |
(148209) 2000 CR105 is a trans-Neptunian object and the tenth-most-distant known object in the Solar System as of 2015. Considered a detached object, it orbits the Sun in a highly eccentric orbit every 3305 years at an average distance of 222 astronomical units (AU).
(91205) 1998 US43, provisional designation 1998 US43, is a resonant trans-Neptunian object of the plutino group, located in the Kuiper belt in the outermost region of the Solar System. The rather bluish body measures approximately 111 kilometers (69 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 22 October 1998, by American astronomer Marc Buie at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in the United States. It is probably not a dwarf planet candidate.
2006 QH181, also written as 2006 QH181, is a trans-Neptunian object (TNO). It is very likely a dwarf planet, and is part of the scattered disc. Its orbit is currently too poorly determined (U=6) to know whether it is in a resonance with Neptune.
2003 LA7, also written as 2003 LA7, is a resonant trans-Neptunian object that goes around the Sun once for every four times that Neptune goes around. Another possible fourtino is 2011 UP411.
2003 QX113, also written as 2003 QX113, is a detached object that was discovered when it was near aphelion. With an absolute magnitude of 4.7, it may be a dwarf planet.
2000 YH2, also written as 2000 YH2, is a trans-Neptunian object. It is a plutino in a 2:3 resonance with Neptune.
2010 KZ39 is a trans-Neptunian object orbiting the Sun as a detached object in the outer reaches of the Solar System. It is likely a dwarf planet as it measures approximately 600 kilometers in diameter. The object was first observed on 21 May 2010, by astronomers Andrzej Udalski, Scott Sheppard, M. Szymanski and Chad Trujillo at the Las Campañas Observatory in Chile.
(523639) 2010 RE64, provisional designation 2010 RE64, is a trans-Neptunian object in the scattered disc located in the outermost region of the Solar System, approximately 570 kilometers (350 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 11 July 2010 by the Pan-STARRS-1 survey at the Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii, in the United States. American astronomer Michael Brown considers it a "highly likely" dwarf planet.
2010 RF43 is a trans-Neptunian object of the scattered disc orbiting in the outermost regions of the Solar System. It measures approximately 650 kilometers (400 mi) kilometers in diameter and is a strong dwarf-planet candidate. The object was first observed on 9 September 2010, by American astronomers David Rabinowitz, Megan Schwamb and Suzanne Tourtellotte at ESO's La Silla Observatory in northern Chile.
(445473) 2010 VZ98, provisional designation 2010 VZ98, is a trans-Neptunian object of the scattered disc, orbiting the Sun in the outermost region of the Solar System. With a diameter of approximately 450 kilometers, it is possibly a dwarf planet.
(523643) 2010 TY53, provisional designation 2010 TY53 is a trans-Neptunian object and centaur located in the outermost region of the Solar System. With an absolute magnitude of 5.7, it approximately measures 325 kilometers (200 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 4 August 2010 by the Pan-STARRS-1 survey at the Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii, in the United States. According to American astronomer Michael Brown, it is "possibly" a dwarf planet.
2010 GB174 is a detached object, discovered on April 12, 2010 at Mauna Kea. It never gets closer than 48.5 AU from the Sun (about the outer edge of the Kuiper belt). Its large eccentricity strongly suggests that it was gravitationally scattered onto its current orbit. It is, like all detached objects, outside the current influence of Neptune, so how it got its current orbit is unknown. 2010 GB174 has the third highest Tisserand parameter relative to Jupiter of any Trans-Neptunian object, after Sedna and 2012 VP113. It has not been observed since 2012. It comes to opposition 27 March 2016 in the constellation of Virgo.
(523692) 2014 EZ51, provisional designation 2014 EZ51, is a trans-Neptunian object and possible dwarf planet in the scattered disc, approximately 700 kilometres (430 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 18 April 2010, by the Pan-STARRS 1 survey at Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii, United States.
2002 GB32, is a trans-Neptunian object from the scattered disc in the outermost region of the Solar System, approximately 122 kilometers in diameter. It was first observed on 7 April 2002, by American astronomer Marc Buie at Cerro Tololo Observatory in Chile.
2015 KH163, is a trans-Neptunian- and scattered disc object from the outermost region of the Solar System, approximately 117 kilometers in diameter. It was first observed by astronomers during the Outer Solar System Origins Survey at the Mauna Kea Observatories on 24 May 2015.
(508338) 2015 SO20 is an extreme trans-Neptunian object and extended scattered disc object from the outermost region of the Solar System, approximately 220 kilometers (140 miles) in diameter.
2014 SS349 is an extreme trans-Neptunian and scattered disc object from the outermost regions of the Solar System, approximately 134 kilometers in diameter.
(523759) 2014 WK509, provisional designation 2014 WK509 is a trans-Neptunian object and possible dwarf planet form the scattered disc, located in the outermost regions of the Solar System. It was discovered on 14 September 2010, by Pan-STARRS at Haleakala Observatory on the island of Maui, Hawaii, in the United States. The object's diameter has been estimated to measure between 600 and 700 kilometers.
2014 AN55 is a trans-Neptunian object and a dwarf-planet candidate from the scattered disc, located the outermost region of the Solar System, approximately 600 kilometres (370 mi) in diameter. It was first observed on 5 January 2014, by astronomers of the Pan-STARRS survey at Haleakala Observatory on the island of Maui, Hawaii, in the United States.
2013 FQ28 is a trans-Neptunian object, both considered a scattered and detached object, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was first observed on 17 March 2013, by a team of astronomers at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. It orbits the Sun in a moderate inclined, moderate-eccentricity orbit. The weak dwarf planet candidate measures approximately 260 kilometers (160 miles) in diameter.
Objects with distance from Sun over 59 AU
The JPL Small-Body Database (SBDB) is an astronomy database about small Solar System bodies. It is maintained by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and NASA and provides data for all known asteroids and several comets, including orbital parameters and diagrams, physical diagrams, and lists of publications related to the small body. The database is updated on a daily basis.