2015 KQ174

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2015 KQ174
Discovery [1]
Discovered by Mauna Kea Obs.
Discovery site Mauna Kea Obs.
(first observed only)
Discovery date24 May 2015
Designations
2015 KQ174
Orbital characteristics [2]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD  2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 4
Observation arc 3.24  yr (1,183 d)
Aphelion 61.483  AU
Perihelion 49.311 AU
55.397 AU
Eccentricity 0.1099
412.32 yr (150,600 d)
76.743°
0° 0m 8.64s / day
Inclination 24.344°
213.92°
294.05°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
154  km [5]
0.09 (assumed) [5]
25.01 [6]
7.3 [1] [2]

    2015 KQ174 is a trans-Neptunian object, both considered a scattered and detached object, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. The object with a moderately inclined and eccentric orbit measures approximately 154 kilometers (96 miles) in diameter. It was first observed on 24 May 2015, by astronomers at the Mauna Kea Observatories in Hawaii, United States.

    Contents

    Orbit and classification

    2015 KQ174 is located near the "gap", a poorly understood region. Extreme transneptunian object eccentricity vs perihelion.png
    2015 KQ174 is located near the "gap", a poorly understood region.

    2015 KQ174 orbits the Sun at a distance of 49.3–61.5  AU once every 412 years and 4 months (150,600 days; semi-major axis of 55.4 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.11 and an inclination of 24° with respect to the ecliptic. [2]

    The object belongs to the same group as 2004 XR190 ("Buffy"), 2014 FC72 , 2014 FZ71 and 2015 FJ345 (also see diagram). With an orbital period of 412 years, it seems to be a resonant trans-Neptunian objects in a 2:5 resonance with Neptune, [7] : 12  as several other objects, [5] but with a lower eccentricity (0.11 instead of more than 0.60) and higher perihelia (at 49.3 AU rather than 31–41 AU).

    Considered both a scattered and detached object, [3] [4] [5] 2015 KQ174 is particularly unusual as it has an unusually circular orbit for a scattered-disc object (SDO). Although it is thought that traditional scattered-disc objects have been ejected into their current orbits by gravitational interactions with Neptune, the low eccentricity of its orbit and the distance of its perihelion (SDOs generally have highly eccentric orbits and perihelia less than 38 AU) seems hard to reconcile with such celestial mechanics. This has led to some uncertainty as to the current theoretical understanding of the outer Solar System. The theories include close stellar passages, unseen planet/rogue planets/planetary embryos in the early Kuiper belt, and resonance interaction with an outward-migrating Neptune. The Kozai mechanism is capable of transferring orbital eccentricity to a higher inclination. [8] [7] It is in a 5:2 resonance to Neptune. It seems to belong to the same group as 2004 XR190 , nicknamed "Buffy".

    Physical characteristics

    Johnston's archive estimates a diameter of 154 kilometers based on an assumed albedo of 0.09. [5] This is approximately a quarter the size of "Buffy" which is estimated at around 500 kilometres (310 mi), roughly a quarter the size of Pluto.

    Related Research Articles

    In astronomy, the plutinos are a dynamical group of trans-Neptunian objects that orbit in 2:3 mean-motion resonance with Neptune. This means that for every two orbits a plutino makes, Neptune orbits three times. The dwarf planet Pluto is the largest member as well as the namesake of this group. The next largest members are Orcus, (208996) 2003 AZ84, and Ixion. Plutinos are named after mythological creatures associated with the underworld.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Trans-Neptunian object</span> Solar system objects beyond Neptune

    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).

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Scattered disc</span> Collection of bodies in the extreme Solar System

    The scattered disc (or scattered disk) is a distant circumstellar disc in the Solar System that is sparsely populated by icy small Solar System bodies, which are a subset of the broader family of trans-Neptunian objects. The scattered-disc objects (SDOs) have orbital eccentricities ranging as high as 0.8, inclinations as high as 40°, and perihelia greater than 30 astronomical units (4.5×109 km; 2.8×109 mi). These extreme orbits are thought to be the result of gravitational "scattering" by the gas giants, and the objects continue to be subject to perturbation by the planet Neptune.

    <span class="nowrap">(612911) 2004 XR<sub>190</sub></span> Minor planet in the scattered disc

    (612911) 2004 XR190, nicknamed Buffy, is a trans-Neptunian object, classified as both a scattered disc object and a detached object, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was first observed on 11 December 2004, by astronomers with the Canada–France Ecliptic Plane Survey at the Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii, United States. It is the largest known highly inclined (> 45°) object. With a perihelion of 51 AU, it belongs to a small and poorly understood group of very distant objects with moderate eccentricities.

    <span class="nowrap">(48639) 1995 TL<sub>8</sub></span>

    (48639) 1995 TL8 is a binary trans-Neptunian object from the scattered disc in the outermost regions of the Solar System. It was discovered by Arianna Gleason in 1995 and measures approximately 176 kilometers in diameter. Its 80-kilometer minor-planet moon, provisionally designated S/2002 (48639) 1, was discovered on 9 November 2002.

    (118228) 1996 TQ66, prov. designation:1996 TQ66, is a resonant trans-Neptunian object of the plutino population in the Kuiper belt, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was discovered on 8 October 1996, by American astronomers Jun Chen, David Jewitt, Chad Trujillo and Jane Luu, using the UH88 telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii. The very red object measures approximately 185 kilometers (110 miles) in diameter. As of 2021, it has not been named.

    (35671) 1998 SN165, prov. 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="mw-page-title-main">Detached object</span> Dynamical class of minor planets

    Detached objects are a dynamical class of minor planets in the outer reaches of the Solar System and belong to the broader family of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). These objects have orbits whose points of closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) are sufficiently distant from the gravitational influence of Neptune that they are only moderately affected by Neptune and the other known planets: This makes them appear to be "detached" from the rest of the Solar System, except for their attraction to the Sun.

    <span class="nowrap">(82075) 2000 YW<sub>134</sub></span>

    (82075) 2000 YW134, provisional designation: 2000 YW134, is a resonant trans-Neptunian object and binary system, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was discovered on 26 December 2000, by astronomers with the Spacewatch survey at Kitt Peak Observatory near Tucson, Arizona. The reddish object stays in a rare 3:8 resonance with Neptune. A smaller companion was discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope in October 2002. As of 2021, neither the primary body nor its satellite have been named.

    (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. It has a diameter of approximately 400 kilometers.

    (533560) 2014 JM80, provisional designation 2014 JM80, is a trans-Neptunian object from the scattered disc in the outermost Solar System, approximately 340 kilometers (210 miles) in diameter. It was discovered on 9 May 2010 by astronomers with 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.

    2014 FZ71 is a trans-Neptunian object, a scattered disc classified as a scattered and detached object, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was first observed on 24 March 2014, by a team led by American astronomer Scott Sheppard at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. With its perihelion of almost 56 AU, it belongs to a small and poorly understood group of very distant objects with moderate eccentricities. The object is not a dwarf planet candidate as it only measures approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) in diameter.

    2014 FC72 is a trans-Neptunian object, classified as a scattered and detached object, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was first observed on 24 March 2014 by astronomers with the Pan-STARRS survey at Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii, United States. With its perihelion distant from Neptune, it belongs to a small and poorly understood group of objects with moderate eccentricities. It is estimated to measure 500 kilometers (300 miles) in diameter, assuming a low albedo.

    2015 FJ345 is a trans-Neptunian object and detached object, located in the scattered disc, the outermost region of the Solar System. It was first observed on 17 March 2015, by a team led by American astronomer Scott Sheppard at the Mauna Kea Observatories, in Hawaii, United States. With its perihelion of almost 51 AU, it belongs to a small and poorly understood group of very distant objects with moderate eccentricities. The object is not a dwarf planet candidate as it only measures approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles) in diameter.

    (523635) 2010 DN93, provisional designation 2010 DN93, is a trans-Neptunian object from in the scattered disc located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was discovered on 26 February 2010, by astronomers with the Pan-STARRS survey at Haleakala Observatory on the island of Maui, Hawaii, in the United States. Assuming a low albedo, the object is estimated at approximately 490 kilometers (300 miles) in diameter. It was numbered in 2018 and remains unnamed.

    <span class="nowrap">2013 FQ<sub>28</sub></span>

    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.

    2013 SK100 is a trans-Neptunian object, both considered a scattered and detached object, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. The object with a moderately inclined and eccentric orbit measures approximately 135 kilometers (84 miles) in diameter. It was first observed on 29 September 2013, by astronomers at the Mauna Kea Observatories in Hawaii, United States.

    2014 ST373 (prov. designation:2014 ST373) is a trans-Neptunian object and a detached object from the outermost region of the Solar System. With a perihelion of 50.2 AU, it belongs to the top 10 minor planets with the highest known perihelia of the Solar System. and is neither a scattered disc nor an extreme trans-Neptunian object. It measures approximately 370 kilometers (230 miles) in diameter and was first observed on 25 September 2014, by astronomers using the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile.

    References

    1. 1 2 3 "2015 KQ174". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
    2. 1 2 3 4 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 KQ174)" (2017-08-24 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory . Retrieved 13 December 2018.
    3. 1 2 Jewitt, David, Morbidelli, Alessandro, & Rauer, Heike. (2007). Trans-Neptunian Objects and Comets: Saas-Fee Advanced Course 35. Swiss Society for Astrophysics and Astronomy. Berlin: Springer. ISBN   3-540-71957-1.
    4. 1 2 Lykawka, Patryk Sofia; Mukai, Tadashi (July 2007). "Dynamical classification of trans-neptunian objects: Probing their origin, evolution, and interrelation". Icarus. 189 (1): 213–232. Bibcode:2007Icar..189..213L. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2007.01.001 . Retrieved 12 December 2018.
    5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Johnston, Wm. Robert (7 October 2018). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
    6. ↑ "2015 KQ174 – Ephemerides". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site, Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
    7. 1 2 Sheppard, Scott S.; Trujillo, Chadwick; Tholen, David J. (July 2016). "Beyond the Kuiper Belt Edge: New High Perihelion Trans-Neptunian Objects with Moderate Semimajor Axes and Eccentricities". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 825 (1): 7. arXiv: 1606.02294 . Bibcode:2016ApJ...825L..13S. doi: 10.3847/2041-8205/825/1/L13 . S2CID   118630570.
    8. ↑ Allen, R. L.; Gladman, B.; Kavelaars, J. J.; Petit, J.-M.; Parker, J. W.; Nicholson, P. (March 2006). "Discovery of a Low-Eccentricity, High-Inclination Kuiper Belt Object at 58 AU". The Astrophysical Journal. 640 (1): L83–L86. arXiv: astro-ph/0512430 . Bibcode:2006ApJ...640L..83A. doi:10.1086/503098. S2CID   15588453. (Discovery paper)
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