(84522) 2002 TC302
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Template:Mp (provisional designation Template:Mp) is a mid-sized trans-Neptunian object located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was discovered on 9 October 2002, by American astronomers Mike Brown, Chad Trujillo and David Rabinowitz at the Palomar Observatory in California.[1] The resonant trans-Neptunian object stays in a 2:5 resonance with Neptune. It has a reddish color, a rotation period of 56.1 hours and measures at least Template:Convert in diameter.
Orbit and classification
Template:Mp orbits the Sun at a distance of 39.2–71.4 AU once every 410 years and 12 months (150,105 days; semi-major axis of 55.28 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.29 and an inclination of 35° with respect to the ecliptic.[2] In December 2058, It will come to perihelion (minimum distance from the Sun) at 39.2 AU,[2] which is about the same as Pluto's semi-major axis (average distance from the Sun). Given the long orbit that TNOs have around the Sun, Template:Mp comes to opposition in late October of each year at an apparent magnitude of 20.5.[3]
Both the Minor Planet Center (MPC) and the Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES) show Template:Mp to be a resonant trans-Neptunian object in a 2:5 resonance with Neptune, meaning it completes two orbits for every five orbits of Neptune.[4][5][6] Template:Multiple image
Physical characteristics
Template:Mp has an absolute magnitude of 3.78.[2] It has an estimated diameter of Template:Val.[7] Using the Spitzer Space Telescope, it was previously estimated to have a diameter of Template:Val,[8] which would have made it one of the largest TNOs. This overestimation was due to insufficient motion to allow for a good sky subtraction, and because Template:Mp was very close to a brighter background object.[7] Brown noted that the Spitzer measurement involved a very large potential error and that the object would likely be much smaller.[9]
The red spectra suggests that Template:Mp has very little fresh ice on its surface.[8] Its rotation period was initially estimated by Thirouin et al. to be 5.41 h, based on a light-curve amplitude of Template:Val.[10] However, this short rotation period was most likely an alias due to a bias for shorter and more easily discernable shorter periods. Template:Mp is highly oblate, and Ortiz et al. suggest a longer rotation period estimate of 56.1 hours.[11]
An occultation of a 15.3 magnitude star by Template:Mp on 28 January 2018 over Europe suggests that it has highly oblate shape with dimensions of Template:Val × Template:Val and a projected axial ratio of a/c=1.18.[11] The area equivalent diameter of Template:Mp is Template:Val.[11]
On 11 November 2021, an occultation across North America and Europe detected an oblate shape of Template:Val km (mean 499 km), in strong agreement with the 2018 occultation results. No satellites were detected.[12]
Possible satellite
The mean diameter of Template:Mp determined from occultations in 2018 is smaller than the larger diameter estimate of Template:Val by Spitzer in 2008. Despite the large uncertainty in the Spitzer's estimate, the difference of Template:Val between the two diameters is significant, implying that Template:Mp may have a large satellite with a possible size range of Template:Val, nearly as large as Template:Mp itself.[13] This possible satellite is expected to orbit Template:Mp at a very close distance of less than Template:Val, close enough to slow down Template:Mp's rotation through tidal interactions.[11]
If both the primary body and satellite are doubly tidally locked, then the expected orbital period of the satellite would be approximately 54 hours, equal to Template:Mp's rotation. Given an orbital period of 54 hours, the satellite's estimated orbital separation from the primary would be Template:Val, with an angular separation of 58 milliarcseconds, too small to be resolved with current space telescopes such as Hubble. Under the assumption the satellite's diameter is Template:Val, it would cause Template:Mp's position to oscillate by 18 milliarcseconds as it orbits around its barycenter.[11]
See also
Notes
References
External links
- TNO 2002 TC302, Image of the Month (January 2003)
- List Of Centaurs and Scattered-Disk Objects, Minor Planet Center
- Template:JPL small body
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