(84922) 2003 VS2

(84922) 2003 VS2
VS2 (apparent magnitude 19.8) as viewed with a 24" telescope
Discovery[2]
Discovered by NEAT (644)
Discovery date November 14, 2003[1]
Designations
MPC designation (84922) 2003 VS2
Alternate name(s) none
Minor planet
category		 Plutino[3][4]
Epoch December 31, 2006 (JD 2454100.5)
Aphelion 6298.735 Gm (42.104 AU)
Perihelion 5449.350 Gm (36.427 AU)
Semi-major axis 5874.042 Gm (39.266 AU)
Eccentricity 0.072
Orbital period 89870.237 d (246.05 a)
Average orbital speed 4.75 km/s
Mean anomaly 3.987°
Inclination 14.798°
Longitude of ascending node 302.682°
Argument of perihelion 112.586°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 725+188
−199 km[5][6]
Mass ≈4×1020? kg[7]
Mean density 2.0? g/cm³
Equatorial surface gravity 0.1778? m/s²
Escape velocity 0.3362? km/s
Sidereal rotation
period		 7.41 ± 0.02 h[8]
Albedo 0.036–0.106[5]
Temperature ~44 K
Spectral type (moderately red) B-V=0.93, V-R=0.59[9]
Apparent magnitude 19.7[10]
Absolute magnitude (H) 3.97[1]
4.4[5]

(84922) 2003 VS2 is a trans-Neptunian object discovered by the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking program on November 14, 2003.[2] Like Pluto, it is in a 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune,[3][4] giving it the orbital properties of a plutino. It is very likely a dwarf planet.

Contents

Orbit and rotation

Like Pluto, 2003 VS2 is locked in the 3:2 mean motion resonance with Neptune, although its orbit is significantly less eccentric less than Pluto's is. It also has slightly smaller orbital inclination.[1]

The most likely value of the rotation period of this object is 7.41 ± 0.02 hours.[8]

Physical characteristics

With a moderately red color index (B-V=0.93, V-R=0.59),[9] and a Spitzer size estimate of 725 ± 200 km,[5] this plutino is also a dwarf-planet candidate. At around a size of 400 km, trans-Neptunian objects are expected to be spherical.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 84922 (2003 VS2)". 2008-02-05 last obs. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=84922. Retrieved 2008-07-23. 
  2. ^ a b Marsden, Brian G. (2003-11-16). "MPEC 2003-W02 : 2003 VS2". IAU Minor Planet Center. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/mpec/K03/K03W02.html. Retrieved 2010-01-06. 
  3. ^ a b c Marc W. Buie (2008-02-05). "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 84922". SwRI (Space Science Department). http://www.boulder.swri.edu/~buie/kbo/astrom/84922.html. Retrieved 2008-07-23. 
  4. ^ a b "MPEC 2006-X45 : Distant Minor Planets". Minor Planet Center & Tamkin Foundation Computer Network. 2006-12-21. http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/mpec/K06/K06X45.html. Retrieved 2008-07-23. 
  5. ^ a b c d John Stansberry, Will Grundy, Mike Brown, Dale Cruikshank, John Spencer, David Trilling, Jean-Luc Margot (2008). "Physical Properties of Kuiper Belt and Centaur Objects: Constraints from Spitzer Space Telescope". In M. Antonietta Barucci, Hermann Boehnhardt, Dale P. Cruikshank (pdf). The Solar System Beyond Neptune. University of Arizona press. pp. 161–179. arXiv:astro-ph/0702538. ISBN 0-8165-2755-5. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/books/ssbn2008/7017.pdf. 
  6. ^ Wm. Robert Johnston (22 April 2008). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/tnoslist.html. Retrieved 2006-12-14. 
  7. ^ Using the 2007 Spitzer spherical radius of 362.5 km; volume of a sphere * an assumed density of 2 g/cm³ yields a mass (m=d*v) of 3.99E+20 kg
  8. ^ a b Sheppard, Scott S. (2006). "Light Curves of Dwarf Plutonian Planets and other Large Kuiper Belt Objects: Their Rotations, Phase Functions, and Absolute Magnitudes". The Astronomical Journal 134 (2): 787–798. Bibcode 2007AJ....134..787S. doi:10.1086/519072. 
  9. ^ a b 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. 
  10. ^ "AstDys (84922) 2003VS2 Ephemerides". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. http://hamilton.dm.unipi.it/astdys/index.php?pc=1.1.3.0&n=84922. Retrieved 2009-12-07. 
  11. ^ Mike Brown. "The Dwarf Planets". http://web.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/dwarfplanets/. Retrieved 2008-01-20. 

External links

84921 Morkoláb•(84922) VS2• (84923) 2003 VZ3
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