(15875) 1996 TP66
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | C. Trujillo, D. C. Jewitt, and J. X. Luu |
| Discovery date | 11 October 1996 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | (15875) 1996 TP66 |
| none | |
| TNO (plutino)[1][2][3] | |
| Orbital characteristics[4] | |
| Epoch 31 December 2006 (JD 2454100.5) | |
| Aphelion | 52.051 AU (7786.662 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 26.353 AU (3942.414 Gm) |
| 39.202 AU (5864.538 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.328 |
| 245.45 a (89652.206 d) | |
|
Average orbital speed
|
4.63 km/s |
| 9.865° | |
| Inclination | 5.693° |
| 316.751° | |
| 75.113° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 154.0+28.8 −33.7 km[5] |
| Albedo | 0.074+0.063 −0.031[5] |
| Temperature | ~44 K |
|
Spectral type
|
1.03±0.11 0.66±0.07[5] |
| 21.0[6] | |
| 7.51±0.09[5] 6.79±0.33[7] |
|
(15875) 1996 TP66, also written as (15875) 1996 TP66, is a resonant trans-Neptunian object in 2:3 resonance with Neptune, like Pluto (plutino). It was discovered on 11 October 1996 by Chad Trujillo, David C. Jewitt, and Jane X. Luu at the Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii.
Inside the orbit of Neptune
This plutino is currently 27 AU from the Sun,[6] and came to perihelion (q=26.3 AU) in 2000.[4] This means that this small plutino is currently well inside the orbit of the planet Neptune. Like Pluto, this plutino spends part of its orbit closer to the Sun than Neptune. Like all resonant trans-Neptunian objects its orbit is dominated by Neptune. Simulations by the Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES) show that over the next 10 million years 1996 TP66 can acquire a perihelion distance (qmin) as small as 25.9 AU.[1]
 This small plutino is currently well inside the orbit of Neptune even though its orbit is dominated by Neptune. |
 The motion of (15875) 1996 TP66 (red) and Pluto (grey) in a rotating frame with a period equal to Neptune's orbital period. (Neptune is held stationary.) |
Probable dwarf planet Huya and plutino (120216) 2004 EW95 are also currently inside the orbit of Neptune.
Calculations by the Minor Planet Center in 1997 showed that the eccentric orbit comes within 6.9 AU of Uranus and stays more than 22.6 AU from Neptune over a 14,000-year period centered on the present.[3]
Physical properties
The size of 1996 TP66 was estimated by the Herschel Space Telescope to be 154.0+28.8
−33.7 km.[5] The object has a very red surface in the visible and a flat featureless infrared spectrum.[7][8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
