(307261) 2002 MS4

(307261) 2002 MS4
Discovery[1]
Discovered by Chad Trujillo,
Michael E. Brown
Discovery date 18 June 2002
Designations
MPC designation 2002 MS4
none
Cubewano (MPC)[2]
ScatExt (DES)[3]
Orbital characteristics[4]
Epoch June 18, 2009 (2455000.5)
Aphelion 47.858 AU
(7159.4 Gm)
Perihelion 36.004 AU
(5386.1 Gm)
41.931 AU
(6272.7 Gm)
Eccentricity 0.14135
271.53 yr
4.58 km/s
210.108°
Inclination 17.693°
216.086°
213.200°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 934±47 km[5]
726±123 km[6]
Albedo 0.051+0.036
−0.022[5]
0.084+0.03
−0.02[6]
Temperature ≈43 K
Spectral type
 B−V=0.69;
V−R=0.38[7]
20.6[8]
3.7[4]

    (307261) 2002 MS4 is a large trans-Neptunian object (TNO), the second-largest known object in the Solar System without a name, after 2007 OR10. It was discovered in 2002 by Chad Trujillo and Michael E. Brown. It is classified as a cubewano by the Minor Planet Center.[2]

    Mike Brown's website lists it as nearly certain to be a dwarf planet.[9] The Spitzer Space Telescope estimated it to have a diameter of 726±123 km.[6] The Herschel team estimates it to be 934±47 km, which would make it one of the 10 largest TNOs currently known[5] and large enough to be considered a dwarf planet under the 2006 draft proposal of the IAU.[10] It is currently 47.2 AU from the Sun[8] and will come to perihelion around 2122.[4]

    It has been observed 46 times, with precovery images back to 1954.[4]

    References

    1. ↑ "MPEC 2002-W27 : 2002 MS4, 2002 QX47, 2002 VR128". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2002-11-21. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "MPEC 2009-P26 :Distant Minor Planets (2009 AUG. 17.0 TT)". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2009-08-07. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
    3. ↑ Marc W. Buie (2008-05-03). "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 02MS4". SwRI (Space Science Department). Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2002 MS4)". 2008-05-03. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Vilenius, E., Kiss, C., Mommert, M. et al. (April 4, 2012). ""TNOs are Cool": A survey of the trans-Neptunian region VI. Herschel/PACS observations and thermal modeling of 19 classical Kuiper belt objects" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-05-07.
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Stansberry, Grundy, Brown, Spencer, Trilling, Cruikshank, Luc Margot Physical Properties of Kuiper Belt and Centaur Objects: Constraints from Spitzer Space Telescope (2007) Preprint arXiv
    7. ↑ Tegler, Stephen C. (2006-01-26). "Kuiper Belt Object Magnitudes and Surface Colors". Archived from the original on 1 September 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-05.
    8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "AstDyS 2002MS4 Ephemerides". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Archived from the original on 2009-09-04. Retrieved 2009-08-27.
    9. ↑ Michael E. Brown. "How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system? (updates daily)". California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2011-08-25.
    10. ↑ O. Gingerich (2006). "The Path to Defining Planets" (PDF). Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and IAU EC Planet Definition Committee chair. Retrieved 2007-03-13.

    External links