2012 DR30

2012 DR30
Discovery[1]
Discovered by Siding Spring Survey
Discovery date February 22, 2012
(March 2009)
Designations
MPC designation 2012 DR30
2009 FW54
Trans-Neptunian object
Centaur[2]
Oort cloud object
Damocloid
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 2014-Dec-09 (JD 2457000.5)
Aphelion 2512 ± 5.4 AU (Q)
~2052 AU[lower-alpha 1]
Perihelion 14.54433 AU (q)
1263.5 ± 2.7 AU (a)
~1033 AU[lower-alpha 1]
Eccentricity 0.98849
44913 ± 146 yr
~33300 yr[lower-alpha 1]
0.02987
Inclination 77.95693°
341.39371°
195.3195°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 171 km[4]
~150 km[5][6]
7.1[2]

    2012 DR30 (2009 FW54)[6][7] is a minor planet (trans-Neptunian object or extended centaur)[2] from the scattered disk/Oort cloud. Using an epoch of December 2014, it has the second-largest heliocentric semi-major axis of a minor planet not detected out-gassing like a comet.[8] (2005 VX3 has a larger heliocentric semi-major axis.) 2012 DR30 does have a barycentric semi-major axis of 1,035 AU.[9][lower-alpha 1]

    2012 DR30 came to perihelion in March 2011 at a distance of 14.5 AU from the Sun (inside the orbit of Uranus). With an absolute magnitude (H) of 7.1,[2] the object has an estimated diameter of 150 km.[5][6]

    Additionally, 2012 DR30 has the highest orbital certainty of any trans-Neptunian object, not counting Pluto, and the only one with an uncertainty parameter of 0. This is due to a combination of having the 19th-most reported observations and the 98th-longest observation arc of any trans-Neptunian object.

    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.[10] Using JPL Horizons, the barycentric semi-major axis is approximately 1,035 AU.[9]

    References

    1. ↑ Ernesto Guido, Giovanni Sostero and Nick Howes (2012-02-27). "Trans-Neptunian Object 2012 DR30". Remanzacco Observatory in Italy. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "2012 DR30 = 2009 FW54". IAU minor planet center. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
    3. ↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2012 DR30)" (last observation: 2014-04-20; arc: 14.04 years). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2014-10-15.
    4. ↑ Michael E. Brown. "How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system? (updates daily)". California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2014-02-16.
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Absolute Magnitude (H)". NASA/JPL. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Ian Musgrave (2012-03-01). "2012 DR30, no, it's not a comet, it's 2009 FW54". itelescope.net. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
    7. ↑ 2012 DR30 - Ein Transneptun mit ungewöhnlicher Bahn
    8. ↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: Asteroids and a > 100 (AU)". JPL Solar System Dynamics. Retrieved 2014-10-15. (Epoch defined at will change every 6 months or so)
    9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Horizons output. "Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for 2012 DR30". Retrieved 2014-03-06. (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter and barycentric coordinates. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0)
    10. ↑ 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.

    External links