Astronomy:(148975) 2001 XA255

From HandWiki
(148975) 2001 XA255
Discovery
Discovered byDavid C. Jewitt, Scott S. Sheppard and Jan Kleyna
Discovery date9 December 2001
Designations
(148975) 2001 XA255
Minor planet categoryCentaur
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Observation arc3812 days (10.44 yr)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}48.731 astronomical unit|AU (7.2901 Tm)
|{{{apsis}}}|helion}}9.3364 AU (1.39671 Tm)
29.034 AU (4.3434 Tm)
Eccentricity0.67843
Orbital period156.44 yr (57141.1 d)
Mean anomaly12.809°
Mean motion0° 0m 22.681s / day
Inclination12.628°
Longitude of ascending node105.89°
90.452°
Jupiter MOID4.12722 AU (617.423 Gm)
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter12.5 km[2]
38 km[1][3]
Geometric albedo0.041[1][3]
Absolute magnitude (H)11.1[1]


(148975) 2001 XA255, provisional designation: 2001 XA255, is a dark minor planet in the outer Solar System, classified as centaur, approximately 38 kilometers (24 miles) in diameter.[1] It was discovered on 9 December 2001, by David C. Jewitt, Scott S. Sheppard, and Jan Kleyna observing from the Mauna Kea Observatory.[4] The object is currently trapped in a 1:1 mean-motion resonance with Neptune following a path of the horseshoe type.[5]

Orbit and classification

2001 XA255 follows a very eccentric orbit (0.68) with perihelion just inside the orbit of Saturn, aphelion in the trans-Neptunian belt and a semi-major axis of 28.9 AU. The orbital inclination of this object is moderate at 12.6º.[1]

Resonance with Neptune

2001 XA255 was identified as trapped in a 1:1 mean-motion resonance with Neptune and 1:2 with Uranus by T. Gallardo in 2006.[6] The object is dynamically unstable and it entered the region of the giant planets relatively recently, perhaps 50,000 years ago, from the scattered disk. It follows a short-lived horseshoe orbit around Neptune.[5]

Physical characteristics

The object has an estimated diameter of 12.5 km and it was classified as an inactive centaur by David Jewitt.[2] Observations by the NEOWISE mission gave a larger diameter of 37.7 kilometers and an albedo of 0.041.[3] It has an absolute magnitude is 11.1.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "148975 (2001 XA255)". JPL Small-Body Database. NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=148975;cad=1. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Jewitt, David C. (2009). "The Active Centaurs". The Astronomical Journal 137 (5): 4296–4312. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/137/5/4296. Bibcode2009AJ....137.4296J. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Johnston, Wm. Robert (18 August 2020). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/tnoslist.html. Retrieved 12 August 2021. 
  4. Jewitt, David C.; Sheppard, S. S.; Kleyna, J.; Marsden, B. G.. "2001 XA255". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 de la Fuente Marcos, C.; de la Fuente Marcos, R. (2012). "Four temporary Neptune co-orbitals: (148975) 2001 XA255, (310071) 2010 KR59, (316179) 2010 EN65, and 2012 GX17". Astronomy and Astrophysics 547: L2. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220377. Bibcode2012A&A...547L...2D. 
  6. ADS link Gallardo, T. (2006) Atlas of the mean-motion resonances in the Solar System

External links