(84522) 2002 TC302
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(84522) 2002 TC302
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Discovery[1]
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| Discovered by | M. E. Brown, C. A. Trujillo, D. L. Rabinowitz(?) |
| Discovery date | October 9, 2002 |
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Designations
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| MPC designation | (84522) 2002 TC302 |
| Alternate name(s) | none |
| Minor planet category |
TNO (SDO)[2] 5:2 resonance[3][4] |
| Epoch July 23, 2010 (JD 2455400.5) | |
| Aphelion | 10 752 Gm 71.870 AU (Q) |
| Perihelion | 5 864.1 Gm 39.199 AU (q) |
| Semi-major axis | 8 307.86 Gm 55.535 AU (a) |
| Eccentricity | 0.29415 |
| Orbital period | 151 162 d 413.86 yr |
| Average orbital speed | 3.93 km/s |
| Mean anomaly | 318.100° |
| Inclination | 34.976° |
| Longitude of ascending node | 23.823° |
| Argument of perihelion | 85.975° |
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Physical characteristics
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| Dimensions | 1145.4 +337.4 −325.0 km[6] <1211 km[7] |
| Albedo | 0.02–0.06[6] 0.051[7] |
| Spectral type | (red) B-V=1.03; V-R=0.67[8] |
| Apparent magnitude | 20.5 (opposition)[9] |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 3.87±0.49[5] |
(84522) 2002 TC302 is a large, red 2:5 resonant[3] trans-Neptunian object discovered on October 9, 2002, by Mike Brown's team at the Palomar Observatory.[1] Mike Brown's website lists it as highly likely a dwarf planet.[10]
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Contents
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Large dwarf-planet candidate
2002 TC302 has an absolute magnitude (H) of 3.87,[5] and the Spitzer Space Telescope has estimated it to have a diameter of 1145.4+337.4
−325.0 km.[6] This qualifies it as one of the largest dwarf-planet candidates. However, Brown notes that the measurement involves a very large potential error, and that the object is likely smaller, making its chances of being a dwarf planet "highly likely" rather than "virtually certain", as it would be if it were certainly around 1100 km in diameter or larger.[10]
Surface and albedo
The red spectra suggests that 2002 TC302 has very little fresh ice on its surface and may explain why it has a lower-than-average estimated albedo of ~0.03. For example, (55565) 2002 AW197 has a higher estimated albedo (~0.12), resulting in a brighter absolute magnitude (H=3.3), and is estimated to be physically smaller (~730 km).[6]
Orbit
2002 TC302 will come to perihelion in 2058.[5] Its perihelion (minimum distance from the Sun) of 39.1AU[5] is about the same as Pluto's semi-major axis (average distance from the Sun). It is classified as a scattered disc object.[2][3]
Given the long orbit that TNOs have around the Sun, 2002 TC302 comes to opposition in late October of each year at an apparent magnitude of 20.5.[9]
It has been observed 76 times over 9 years.[5]
Resonance
Both the Minor Planet Center (MPC) and the Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES) show this dwarf-planet candidate to be in a 2:5 resonance with Neptune.[3][4] Due to the resonance, it completes 2 orbits for every 5 orbits of Neptune.
As of 2009, it is the largest dwarf-planet candidate that is known to be in a non-plutino resonance with Neptune. (Plutinos are objects in 2:3 mean motion resonance with Neptune. For every 2 orbits that a plutino makes, Neptune makes 3.)
 A still frame showing the motion of 2002 TC302 relative to Neptune being held stationary |
 The 2:5 resonance motion of 2002 TC302 (red) and the 2:3 resonance of Pluto (grey). Neptune is held stationary. |
See also
References
- ^ a b Marsden, Brian G. (2002-11-07). "MPEC 2002-V26 : 2002 TC302". IAU Minor Planet Center. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/mpec/K02/K02V26.html. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
- ^ a b "List Of Centaurs and Scattered-Disk Objects". Minor Planet Center. http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/Centaurs.html. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
- ^ a b c d Marc W. Buie (2007-09-16). "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 84522". SwRI (Space Science Department). http://www.boulder.swri.edu/~buie/kbo/astrom/84522.html. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
- ^ a b "MPEC 2009-C70 :Distant Minor Planets (2009 FEB. 28.0 TT)". Minor Planet Center. 2009-02-10. http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/mpec/K09/K09C70.html. Retrieved 2009-03-05.
- ^ a b c d e f "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 84522 (2002 TC302)". 2009-10-25 last obs. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=84522. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
- ^ a b c d John Stansberry, Will Grundy, Mike Brown, Dale Cruikshank, John Spencer, David Trilling, Jean-Luc Margot (2007). "Physical Properties of Kuiper Belt and Centaur Objects: Constraints from Spitzer Space Telescope". arXiv:astro-ph/0702538 [astro-ph].
- ^ a b Grundy, W. M.; Noll, K. S.; Stephens, D. C. (2004). "Diverse albedos of small trans-neptunian objects". Icarus 176: 22. arXiv:astro-ph/0502229. Bibcode 2005Icar..176..184G. DOI:10.1016/j.icarus.2005.01.007.
- ^ Tegler, Stephen C. (2006-01-26). "Kuiper Belt Object Magnitudes and Surface Colors". http://www.physics.nau.edu/~tegler/research/survey.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-05.
- ^ a b "(84522) 2002 TC302". Minor Planet Center. 2010-07-23 epoch. http://scully.cfa.harvard.edu/~cgi/ReturnPrepEph?d=d&o=84522. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
- ^ a b Michael E. Brown. "How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system? (updates daily)". California Institute of Technology. http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/dps.html. Retrieved 2011-08-25.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: (84522) 2002 TC302 |
- Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Horizons Ephemeris
- TNO 2002 TC302 (Image of the Month, January 2003)
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