2005 RH52 is an extreme trans-Neptunian object from the extended scattered disc in the outermost region of the Solar System, approximately 130 kilometers (81 miles) in diameter. It was first observed on 3 September 2005, by astronomers with the Canada–France Ecliptic Plane Survey using the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatories in Hawaii, United States.[1][2][3]
Discovery[1][2][3] | |
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Discovered by | (first observed only) CFEPS |
Discovery site | Mauna Kea Obs. |
Discovery date | 3 September 2005 |
Designations | |
MPC designation | 2005 RH52 |
Minor planet category | TNO[4] · ESDO[5] ETNO · distant[1] |
Orbital characteristics[4] | |
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 3 | |
Observation arc | 12.30 yr (4,491 d) |
Aphelion | 270.41 AU |
Perihelion | 38.956 AU |
Semi-major axis | 154.68 AU |
Eccentricity | 0.7482 |
Orbital period (sidereal) | 1924 yr (702,689 d) |
Mean anomaly | 2.9912° |
Mean motion | 0° 0m 1.8s / day |
Inclination | 20.428° |
Longitude of ascending node | 306.01° |
Argument of perihelion | 32.366° |
Neptune MOID | 10.2 AU[1] |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 128 km (est.)[5] 130 km (est.)[6] |
Geometric albedo | 0.08 (assumed)[6] 0.09 (assumed)[5] |
Absolute magnitude (H) | 7.7[1][4] |
The detached, extended scattered disc object (ESDO) is on a highly eccentric orbit and belongs to the extreme trans-Neptunian objects.
2005 RH52 belongs to a small group of detached objects with perihelion distances of 30 AU or more, and semi-major axes of 150 AU or more.[7] Such extreme trans-Neptunian objects (ETNOs) can not reach such orbits without some perturbing object, which lead to the speculation of Planet Nine.
It orbits the Sun at a distance of 39–270 AU once every 1923 years and 10 months (702,689 days; semi-major axis of 154.68 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.75 and an inclination of 20° with respect to the ecliptic.[4] The body's observation arc begins with its first official observation at Mauna Kea in September 2005.[1]
As of 2018, this minor planet has neither been numbered nor named by the Minor Planet Center. The official discoverer(s) will be defined when the object is numbered.[1]
According to the Johnston's archive and to American astronomer Michael Brown, 2005 RH52 measures 128 and 130 kilometers in diameter based on an assumed albedo of 0.09 and 0.08, respectively.[5][6] Due to its small size, it is listed as "probably not" a dwarf planet (100–200 km) on Michael Brown's website, which uses a 5-class taxonomic system that ranges from "nearly certainly" to "possibly" for potential dwarf planet candidates.[6] As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown.[4][8]
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