2005 TN53 is an inclined Neptune trojan leading Neptune's orbit in the outer Solar System, approximately 80 kilometers in diameter. It was first observed on 7 October 2005, by American astronomers Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo at Las Campanas Observatory in the Atacama desert of Chile.[2][3] It was the third such body to be discovered, and the first with a significant orbital inclination, which showed that the population as a whole is very dynamically excited.
| Discovery[1][2][3] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | |
| Discovery site | Las Campanas Obs. |
| Discovery date | 7 October 2005 (discovery: first observation only) |
| Designations | |
| 2005 TN53 | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 4 | |
| Observation arc | 8.00 yr (2,921 days) |
| Aphelion | 31.940 AU |
| Perihelion | 28.088 AU |
| 30.014 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0642 |
| 164.43 yr (60,059 days) | |
| 301.81° | |
| 0° 0m 21.6s / day | |
| Inclination | 25.044° |
| 9.3277° | |
| 90.167° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | |
| 23.7[6] | |
| 9.0[1] | |
Orbit and classification
editNeptune trojans are resonant trans-Neptunian objects (TNO) in a 1:1 mean-motion orbital resonance with Neptune. These Trojans have a semi-major axis and an orbital period very similar to Neptune's (30.10 AU; 164.8 years).
2005 TN53 belongs to the larger L4 group, which leads 60° ahead Neptune's orbit. It orbits the Sun with a semi-major axis of 30.014 AU at a distance of 28.1–31.9 AU once every 164 years and 5 months (60,059 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.06 and an inclination of 25° with respect to the ecliptic.[1]
It has the same orbital period as Neptune and orbits at the L4 Lagrangian point about 60° ahead of Neptune.[4] It has an inclination of 25 degrees.[1][4]
Physical characteristics
editDiameter
editThe discoverers estimate that 2005 TN53 has a mean-diameter of 80 kilometers based on a magnitude of 23.7.[6] Based on a generic magnitude-to-diameter conversion, it measures approximately 68 kilometers in diameter using an absolute magnitude of 9.0 and an assumed albedo of 0.10.[5]
Numbering and naming
editDue to its orbital uncertainty, this minor planet has not been numbered and its official discoverers have not been determined.[1][2] If named, it will follow the naming scheme already established with 385571 Otrera, which is to name these objects after figures related to the Amazons, an all-female warrior tribe that fought in the Trojan War on the side of the Trojans against the Greek.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2005 TN53)" (2013-10-06 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d "2005 TN53". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ a b Sheppard, Scott S.; Trujillo, Chadwick A. (July 2006). "A Thick Cloud of Neptune Trojans and Their Colors" (PDF). Science. 313 (5786): 511–514.(SciHomepage). Bibcode:2006Sci...313..511S. doi:10.1126/science.1127173. PMID 16778021. S2CID 35721399.
- ^ a b c "List of Neptune Trojans". Minor Planet Center. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ a b "Asteroid Size Estimator". CNEOS/JPL. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
- ^ a b c Lakdawalla, Emily (13 August 2010). "2008 LC15, the first Trojan asteroid discovered in Neptune's L5 point". The Planetary Society. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ Ticha, J.; et al. (10 April 2018). "DIVISION F / Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature. THE TRIENNIAL REPORT (2015 Sept 1 - 2018 Feb 15)" (PDF). IAU. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
External links
edit- Three New "Trojan" Asteroids Found Sharing Neptune's Orbit by Scott S. Sheppard (includes image of 2005 TN53)
- Scott Sheppard and the hunt for Neptune Trojans on YouTube (time 1:40 min.)
- AstDys-2 about 2005 TN53
- 2005 TN53 at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
- 2005 TN53 at the JPL Small-Body Database