(15874) 1996 TL66

(15874) 1996 TL66
Discovery[1]
Discovered by David C. Jewitt,
Jane X. Luu,
Jun Chen,
C. A. Trujillo
Discovery date October 9, 1996
Designations
MPC designation (15874) 1996 TL66
Alternate name(s) none
Minor planet
category		 Scattered disc[2][3]
Epoch January 4, 2010 (JD 2455200.5)
Aphelion 132.87 AU
(19,877 Gm)
Perihelion 35.010 AU
(5,237 Gm)
Semi-major axis 83.944 AU
(12,557 Gm)
Eccentricity 0.58292
Orbital period 769.12 yr
Average orbital speed 2.98 km/s
Mean anomaly 4.0507°
Inclination 23.965°
Longitude of ascending node 217.74°
Argument of perihelion 184.40°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions ~575 ± 115 km[5]
Mass ~2×1020? kg[6]
(Mass and density assumed)
Mean density 2.0? g/cm3
Albedo 0.035+0.02
−0.01[5]
Temperature ~31 K
Apparent magnitude 21[7]
Absolute magnitude (H) 5.4[4]

(15874) 1996 TL66 (also written (15874) 1996 TL66) is a trans-Neptunian object (TNO) that resides in the scattered disc. The Spitzer Space Telescope has estimated this object to be about 575 km in diameter,[5] which makes it a dwarf-planet candidate. It is not a detached object since its perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) is under the influence of Neptune.[3] Light-curve-amplitude analysis suggests it is a spheroid and hence a dwarf planet.[8]

Contents

Discovery

Discovered in 1996 by David C. Jewitt et al., it was the first object to be categorized as a scattered-disk object (SDO), although (48639) 1995 TL8, discovered a year earlier, was later recognised as a scattered-disk object. It was one of the largest known trans-Neptunian objects at the time of the discovery. It came to perihelion in 2001.[4]

Orbit and size

1996 TL66 orbits the Sun with a semi-major axis of 83.9 AU,[4] but is currently only 35 AU from the Sun with an apparent magnitude of 21.[7] The Spitzer Space Telescope has estimated it to have a low albedo with a diameter of about 575 ± 115 km.[5] Any icy body with a diameter greater than 400 km is probably spherical.[9] Light-curve-amplitude analysis shows only small deviations, suggesting 1996 TL66 is a spheroid with small albedo spots and hence a dwarf planet.[8]

References

  1. ^ "MPEC 1997-B18: 1996 TL66". Minor Planet Center. 1997-01-30. http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/J97/J97B18.html. Retrieved 2011-07-05. 
  2. ^ "List Of Centaurs and Scattered-Disk Objects". Minor Planet Center. http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/Centaurs.html. Retrieved 2009-01-22. 
  3. ^ a b Marc W. Buie (2006-07-30). "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 15874". SwRI (Space Science Department). http://www.boulder.swri.edu/~buie/kbo/astrom/15874.html. Retrieved 2009-01-22. 
  4. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 15874 (1996 TL66)". 2006-07-30 last obs. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=15874. Retrieved 2009-01-22. 
  5. ^ a b c d John Stansberry, Will Grundy, Mike Brown, Dale Cruikshank, John Spencer, David Trilling, Jean-Luc Margot (2007). "Physical Properties of Kuiper Belt and Centaur Objects: Constraints from Spitzer Space Telescope". arXiv:astro-ph/0702538 [astro-ph]. 
  6. ^ Using the 2007 Spitzer spherical radius of 287.5 km; volume of a sphere * an assumed density of 2 g/cm3 yields a mass (m=d*v) of 1.99×1020 kg
  7. ^ a b "AstDys (15874) 1996TL66 Ephemerides". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. http://hamilton.dm.unipi.it/astdys/index.php?pc=1.1.3.0&n=15874. Retrieved 2010-02-10. 
  8. ^ a b Tancredi, G., & Favre, S. (2008) Which are the dwarfs in the Solar System?. Depto. Astronomía, Fac. Ciencias, Montevideo, Uruguay; Observatorio Astronómico Los Molinos, MEC, Uruguay. Retrieved 10-08-2011
  9. ^ Mike Brown. "The Dwarf Planets". http://web.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/dwarfplanets/. Retrieved 2010-02-09. 

External links

(15873) 1996 TH7•(15874) 1996 TL66• (15875) 1996 TP66
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