2004 VN112

2004 VN112
Discovery
Discovery date 2004
Designations
MPC designation 2004 VN112
E-SDO
(detached object)[1]
Orbital characteristics[1][2]
Epoch 2455800.5 (2011-Aug-27)
Aphelion 652.2 AU (Q)
Perihelion 47.32 AU (q)
349.8 AU (a)
Eccentricity 0.8647
6542 a
0.11° (M)
Inclination 25.52°
66.06° (Ω)
327.0° (ω)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 314 km (based on expected albedo)[3]
130–300 km[2][4]
Albedo 0.04 (expected)[3]
Spectral type
 Blue[3]
23.3[5]
6.4[2]

    2004 VN112, also written as 2004 VN112, is a detached object[1] (because its perihelion is greater than 40 AU). It never gets closer than 47 AU from the Sun (about the outer edge of the main Kuiper belt) and averages more than 300 AU from the Sun. Its large eccentricity strongly suggests that it was gravitationally scattered onto its current orbit. Because it is, like all detached objects, outside of the current influence of Neptune, how it came to have this orbit cannot yet be explained. It has only been observed 25 times over four oppositions.[2] To compare, the possible dwarf planet Sedna has been observed 88 times.[6] Sedna and 2000 CR105 have similar orbits (perihelion greater than 40 AU and semi-major axis greater than 200 AU).

    2004 VN112 was observed by the Hubble Space Telescope in November 2008.[7] It reached perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) in 2009[2] and is currently 47.5 AU from the Sun.[5]

    Mike Brown's website lists it as a possible dwarf planet with a diameter of 314 kilometres (195 mi) based on an assumed albedo of 0.04.[3] The albedo is expected to be low because the object has a blue (neutral) color.[3] However, if the albedo is higher, the object could easily be half that size.

    2004 VN112 is one of twelve objects discovered in the Solar System to have a semi-major axis > 150 AU, a perihelion beyond Neptune, and an argument of perihelion of 340 ± 55°.[8] Of these, only five, including 2004 VN112, have perihelia beyond Neptune's (current) influence.

    References

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Marc W. Buie (2007-11-08). "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 04VN112". SwRI (Space Science Department). Retrieved 2008-07-17.
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2004 VN112)". Retrieved 2011-05-20.
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Michael E. Brown. "How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system? (updates daily)". California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
    4. ↑ "ABSOLUTE MAGNITUDE (H)". NASA/JPL. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "AstDyS 2004 VN112 Ephemerides". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
    6. ↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 90377 Sedna (2003 VB12)". Retrieved 2014-03-28.
    7. ↑ "2004 VN112 Orbit". IAU Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
    8. ↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: a > 150 (AU) and q > 30 (AU) and data-arc span > 365 (d)". JPL Solar System Dynamics. Retrieved 2014-04-09.

    External links