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 2 3 4 MPC list of Centaurs
- 1 2 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.
- 1 2 JPL's Solar System Dynamics data on 2012 GX17
External links
- Four temporary Neptune co-orbitals: (148975) 2001 XA255, (310071) 2010 KR59, (316179) 2010 EN65, and 2012 GX17 by de la Fuente Marcos, C., & de la Fuente Marcos, R. 2012, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 547, id.L2, 7 pp.
- Early discovery note
- 2012 GX17 data at MPC
- IAU list of centaurs and scattered-disk objects
- IAU list of trans-neptunian objects
- Another list of TNOs
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