2012 GX17

2012 GX17
Discovery
Discovered by Pan-STARRS 1
Discovery date April 14, 2012
Designations
MPC designation 2012 GX17
Centaur
Orbital characteristics
Epoch September 30, 2012 (JD 2456200.5)
Aphelion 42.64 AU
Perihelion 17.63 AU
30.13 AU
Eccentricity 0.415
165 yr
298.44°
Inclination 35.30°
207.75°
94.00°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 55-180 km
Albedo 0.5-0.05 (assumed)
7.8

    2012 GX17, also written as 2012 GX17, is a minor body classified as centaur by the Minor Planet Center upon discovery. [1] The object is also a promising Neptune L5 trojan candidate.[2]

    Discovery

    2012 GX17 was discovered on April 14, 2012 by the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope, observing from Haleakala, Hawaii.[1]

    Orbit

    2012 GX17 follows a rather eccentric orbit (0.41) with a semi-major axis of 30.13 AU.[1] This object also has high orbital inclination (35.3º).[1] Unfortunately, its orbit is not well determined as it is currently (November 2012) based on 10 observations with a data-arc span of 4 days.[3]

    Physical properties

    2012 GX17 is a rather large minor body with an absolute magnitude of 7.8 which gives a characteristic diameter of 55–180 km for an assumed albedo in the range 0.5-0.05.[3]

    Neptune trojan candidate

    Based on its current heliocentric orbit, 2012 GX17 follows a tadpole orbit around Neptune's L5 point. Giving the fact that its orbit is, at present, poorly determined, the object is a promising Neptune trojan candidate.[2] Simulations suggest that it is dynamically unstable like Neptune L5 trojan 2004 KV18. If confirmed, this object could be the highest inclination Neptune trojan.

    References

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 MPC list of Centaurs
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 de la Fuente Marcos, C.; de la Fuente Marcos, R. (November 2012). "Four temporary Neptune co-orbitals: (148975) 2001 XA255, (310071) 2010 KR59, (316179) 2010 EN65, and 2012 GX17". Astronomy and Astrophysics 547: L2. arXiv:1210.3466. Bibcode:2012A&A...547L...2D. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220377.
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 JPL's Solar System Dynamics data on 2012 GX17

    External links