2005 VX3

2005 VX3
Discovery[1]
Discovered by Mt. Lemmon Survey
Discovery date 2005-11-01
Designations
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 2457000.5 (2014-Dec-09.0)
Aphelion 3080 ±643 AU (heliocentric)
~1900 AU (barycentric)[lower-alpha 1]
Perihelion 4.1343 AU
1542 ±322 AU (heliocentric)
~945 AU (barycentric)[lower-alpha 1]
Eccentricity 0.99732 ±0.00056
60556 ±18970 a
~29000 yr[lower-alpha 1]
0.053°
Inclination 112.459°
255.192°
196.540°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 7 km (assumed)[4]
14.1[3]

    2005 VX3 is the minor planet with the largest heliocentric semi-major axis and aphelion.[5] It also has the largest orbital eccentricity of any known minor planet, with its perihelion lying within the orbit of Jupiter. 2005 VX3 has a barycentric semi-major axis of ~945 AU.[6][lower-alpha 1] 2012 DR30 has a larger barycentric semi-major axis.

    2005 VX3 has an observation arc 81 days and has not been observed since January 2006, when it came to perihelion 4.1 AU from the Sun.[3] It may be a dormant comet that has not been seen outgassing. In the past it may have made closer approaches to the Sun that could have removed most near-surface volatiles.

    See also

    Notes

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Given the orbital eccentricity of this object, different epochs can generate quite different heliocentric unperturbed two-body best-fit solutions to the semi-major axis and orbital period. For objects at such high eccentricity, the Sun's barycentric coordinates are more stable than heliocentric coordinates.[7] Using JPL Horizons, the barycentric semi-major axis is approximately 945 AU.[6]

    References

    1. ↑ "MPEC 2005-V58 : 2005 VX3". IAU Minor Planet Center. 2005-11-08. Retrieved 2014-03-05. (K05V03X)
    2. ↑ "2005 VX3 Orbit". IAU minor planet center. Retrieved 2014-03-06.
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2006 VX3)" (last observation: 2006-01-21; arc: 81 days). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2014-03-05.
    4. ↑ "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. 2005-11-08. Retrieved 2014-03-05.
    5. ↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: Asteroids and a > 100 (AU)". JPL Solar System Dynamics. Retrieved 2014-03-06. (Epoch defined at will change every 6 months or so)
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for 2005 VX3". Retrieved 2014-03-06. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter and barycentric coordinates. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
    7. ↑ Kaib, Nathan A.; Becker, Andrew C.; Jones, R. Lynne; Puckett, Andrew W.; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Dilday, Benjamin; Frieman, Joshua A.; Oravetz, Daniel J.; Pan, Kaike; Quinn, Thomas; Schneider, Donald P.; Watters, Shannon (2009). "2006 SQ372: A Likely Long-Period Comet from the Inner Oort Cloud". The Astrophysical Journal 695 (1): 268–275. arXiv:0901.1690. Bibcode:2009ApJ...695..268K. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/695/1/268.