2011 KW48

2011 KW48
Discovery
Discovery date May 2011
Designations
VNH0004
TNO
Orbital characteristics[1][2]
Epoch 8 June 2011 (JD 2455720.5)
Observation arc 33.8 days
Aphelion 42.676 AU (6.384 billion km)
Perihelion 32.368 AU (4.842 billion km)
37.522 AU (5.613 billion km)
Eccentricity 0.13736
229.84 yr
(83949.94 d)
347.91°
0.0042883°/day
Inclination 3.6328°
246.15°
46.931°
Jupiter Tisserand parameter 5.448
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 100 ± 50 km (60 ± 30 mi)
~25.5
8.8

    2011 KW48, previously designated VNH0004, is a Kuiper belt object. It was discovered in May 2011 and is classified as a trans-Neptunian object by the Minor Planet Center. This object was observed 12 times by the Mauna Kea (8) and Las Campanas (4) observatories over a period of about 33.8 days between May 29 and July 2, 2011. Because of this short period of observation, its current orbit is extremely uncertain.

    Between January 4-15, 2015,[3] the New Horizons spacecraft actively observed 2011 KW48 at a distance of about 0.5 AU (75 million km; 46 million mi).[4] While this was too far to resolve surface features or perform spectroscopic analyses of its composition, the spacecraft was able to search for possible satellites and observe its phase curve.[4] If 2011 KW48 were 100 kilometers (60 mi) wide, it would have appeared approximately 0.11 arcseconds wide to New Horizons.

    References

    1. ↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2011 KW48)". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
    2. ↑ "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for VNH0004". Southwest Research Institute. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
    3. ↑ Gebhardt, Chris (January 19, 2015). "New Horizons begins Pluto observations ahead of July flyby". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
    4. 1 2 Paul, Christopher (August 31, 2012). "New Horizons to Encounter KBO Ahead of Pluto Flyby". AmericaSpace.


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