(15874) 1996 TL66

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(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
Alternative names none
Minor planet category Scattered disc[2][3]
Orbital characteristics[4]
Epoch January 4, 2010 (JD 2455200.5)
Aphelion 132.87 AU
(19877 Gm)
Perihelion 35.010 AU
(5237 Gm)
Semi-major axis 83.944 AU
(12557 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 339±20 km[5]
≈575 ± 115 km[6]
Albedo 0.110+0.021
−0.015[5]
0.035+0.02
−0.01[6]
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,[6] but 2012 estimates from the Herschel Space Observatory estimate the diameter as closer to 339 km.[5] 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.[8] Tancredi presents "in the form of a decision tree, the set of questions to be considered in order to classify an object as an icy 'dwarf planet'." They find that 1996 TL66 is very probably a dwarf planet.[9] Mike Brown's website using the Spitzer diameter of 575 km lists it as a likely dwarf planet.[10]

    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] In 2007 the Spitzer Space Telescope estimated it to have a low albedo with a diameter of about 575 ± 115 km.[6] More recent measurements in 2012 by the 'TNOs are Cool' research project and re-analysis of older data have resulted in a new estimate of these figures.[5] It is now assumed that the object has a higher albedo and the diameter was revised downward to 339 ± 20 km. Light-curve-amplitude analysis shows only small deviations, suggesting 1996 TL66 is a spheroid with small albedo spots and may be a dwarf planet.[8]

    References

    1. ↑ "MPEC 1997-B18: 1996 TL66". Minor Planet Center. 1997-01-30. Retrieved 2011-07-05. 
    2. ↑ "List Of Centaurs and Scattered-Disk Objects". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2009-01-22. 
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Marc W. Buie (2006-07-30). "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 15874". SwRI (Space Science Department). Retrieved 2009-01-22. 
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 15874 (1996 TL66)". 2006-07-30 last obs. Retrieved 2009-01-22. 
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Santos-Sanz, P., Lellouch, E., Fornasier, S., Kiss, C., Pal, A., Müller, T. G., Vilenius, E., Stansberry, J., Mommert, M., Delsanti, A., Mueller, M., Peixinho, N., Henry, F., Ortiz, J. L., Thirouin, A., Protopapa, S., Duffard, R., Szalai, N., Lim, T., Ejeta, C., Hartogh, P., Harris, A. W., & Rengel, M. (2012). “TNOs are Cool”: A Survey of the Transneptunian Region IV - Size/albedo characterization of 15 scattered disk and detached objects observed with Herschel Space Observatory-PACS
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 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].
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "AstDys (15874) 1996TL66 Ephemerides". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Retrieved 2010-02-10. 
    8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 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. ↑ Tancredi, G. (2010). "Physical and dynamical characteristics of icy "dwarf planets" (plutoids)". Icy Bodies of the Solar System: Proceedings IAU Symposium No. 263, 2009. 
    10. ↑ Michael E. Brown. "How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system? (updates daily)". California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2012-01-17. 

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