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