(55638) 2002 VE95

(55638) 2003 VE95
Discovery[1]
Discovered by NEAT
Discovery date November 14, 2002
Designations
MPC designation 2002 VE95
Minor planet
category		 Plutino[2]
Epoch May 14, 2008
Aphelion 48.03 AU (Q)
Perihelion 30.37 AU (q)
Semi-major axis 39.44 AU (a)
Eccentricity 0.291
Orbital period 247.71 yr
Mean anomaly 12.91° (M)
Inclination 16.31 °
Longitude of ascending node 199.73°
Argument of perihelion 206.84°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 200–400 km[3][4]
383 km (assumed)[5]
Mass ~5×1019 kg
Mean density 2 g/cm3
Sidereal rotation
period		 6–9 h[6]
Albedo 0.09 (assumed)
Spectral type B-V=1.08
V-R=0.71[7]
Apparent magnitude 20.5[8]
Absolute magnitude (H) 5.8[7]

(55638) 2002 VE95, also written as 2002 VE95, is a trans-Neptunian object (TNO) with an absolute magnitude of 5.8.[7] A 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune makes it a plutino.[2]

It has been observed 190 times over 8 oppositions with precovery images back to 1990.[3]

Contents

Orbit and rotation

As a plutino 2002 VE95 is locked in 3:2 resonance with Neptune. This means that the ratio of their orbital periods is equal to 3/2.[2]

The rotation period of 2002 VE95 is unknown but it probably lies between 6 and 9 hours.[6]

Physical characteristics

The size of 2002 VE95 is not known but a reasonable estimate is around 380 km.[4][5] In the visible light this object is from moderately red to very red in color (different observations produced different results) and has a featureless reflectance spectrum.[9]

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.[10] The spectral behavior of this object is similar to 5145 Pholus, a centaur.[10]

References

  1. ^ "List Of Transneptunian Objects". IAU Minor Planet Center. http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/TNOs.html. Retrieved 2011-01-08. 
  2. ^ a b c "MPEC 2008-O05 : Distant Minor Planets". Minor Planet Center & Tamkin Foundation Computer Network. 2008-07-17. http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/mpec/K08/K08O05.html. Retrieved 2008-07-23. 
  3. ^ a b c "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (55638) 2003 VE95". 2007-10-22 last obs. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=55638. Retrieved 2010-08-05. 
  4. ^ a b "Absolute Magnitude (H)". NASA/JPL. http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/glossary/h.html. Retrieved 2008-07-23. 
  5. ^ a b Wm. Robert Johnston. "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/tnoslist.html. Retrieved 2008-07-23. 
  6. ^ a b Sheppard, Scott S.; Lacerda, Pedro; Ortiz, Jose L. (2008). "Photometric Lightcurves of Transneptunian Objects and Centaurs: Rotations, Shapes, and Densities". In M. Barucci, A.; Boehnhardt,H.; Cruikshank, D.P. and Morbidelli, A. (pdf). The Solar System Beyond Neptune. University of Arizona Press. pp. 129–142. ISBN 978-0-8165-2755-7. http://www.dtm.ciw.edu/users/sheppard/pub/SheppardKBOBook2008.pdf. 
  7. ^ a b c Tegler, Stephen C. (2007-02-01). "Kuiper Belt Object Magnitudes and Surface Colors". http://www.physics.nau.edu/~tegler/research/survey.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-30. 
  8. ^ "AstDys 2002VE95 Ephemerides". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. http://hamilton.dm.unipi.it/astdys/index.php?pc=1.1.0&n=55638. Retrieved 2010-08-05. 
  9. ^ Fornasier, S.; Barucci, M.A.; de Bergh, C. at al. (2009). "Visible spectroscopy of the new ESO large programme on trans-Neptunian objects and Centaurs: final results". Astronomy and Astrophysics 508 (1): 457–465. Bibcode 2009A&A...508..457F. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200912582. 
  10. ^ a b Barucci, M.A.; Merlin, F.; Dotto, E. at al. (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. 

External links

(55637) 2002 UX25•(55638) 2002 VE95• (55639) 2070 P-L
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