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|accessdate=2010-02-17|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?id=1242528075930065|archivedate=2009-05-17|deadurl=no}}</ref> However, it turned out to be one of the reddest objects in the Kuiper belt, comparable only to [[50000 Quaoar|Quaoar]], so the nickname turned out to not be very appropriate. It was however also the "seventh dwarf" discovered by Brown's team, after Quaoar in 2002, Sedna in 2003, Haumea and Orcus in 2004, and Makemake and Eris in 2005.
|accessdate=2010-02-17|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?id=1242528075930065|archivedate=2009-05-17|deadurl=no}}</ref> However, it turned out to be one of the reddest objects in the Kuiper belt, comparable only to [[50000 Quaoar|Quaoar]], so the nickname turned out to not be very appropriate. It was however also the "seventh dwarf" discovered by Brown's team, after Quaoar in 2002, Sedna in 2003, Haumea and Orcus in 2004, and Makemake and Eris in 2005.


OR10 is currently the largest known object in the Solar System without an official name. In 2011 Brown decided he finally had enough information to justify giving it one,<ref name="Brown2011"/> since the discovery of water ice and the possibility of methane makes it noteworthy enough to warrant study.<ref name="scida2011"/>
OR10 is currently the largest known object in the Solar System without an official name. In 2011 Brown decided he finally had enough information to justify giving it one,<ref name="Brown2011"/> since the discovery of water ice and the possibility of methane makes it noteworthy enough to warrant study.<ref name="scida2011"/> The new findings also suggest that the red-tinged dwarf planet may be covered in a thin layer of methane, the remnants of an atmosphere that's slowly being lost into space.


==Distance==
==Distance==

Revision as of 08:32, 23 August 2011

(225088) 2007 OR10
Artist's impression of (225088) 2007 OR10
Discovery[1]
Discovered byM. E. Schwamb
M. E. Brown
D. L. Rabinowitz
Palomar Observatory (675)
Discovery date2007-07-17
announced: 2009-01-07
Designations
Designation
(225088) 2007 OR10
SDO[2]
10:3 resonance? (DES)[3]
Orbital characteristics[4]
Epoch February 8, 2011
Aphelion100.79 AU (Q)
15.1 Tm
Perihelion33.62 AU (q)
5.03 Tm
67.21 AU (a)
10.054 Tm
Eccentricity0.500
550.98 yr
101.0° (M)
Inclination30.70°
336.86°
207.18°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions1200+300
−200 km[5]
(fit to volatile-retention model)
875[6]–1400[7] km[4][8]
Albedo≈ that of Quaoar, 0.18
(assumed from spectrum)[5]
Spectral type
red[5]
21.3[9]
1.7[4]

(225088) 2007 OR10 is a trans-Neptunian object with an absolute magnitude of 1.7.[4] This qualifies it as one of the largest dwarf-planet candidates: it has been estimated to be between Sedna and Quaoar in size.[10]

Nickname

2007 OR10 was discovered by California Institute of Technology astronomers as part of the PhD thesis of Meg Schwamb, who was at the time a graduate student of Michael E. Brown.[11] Brown nicknamed the object "Snow White" for its presumed white color,[11] as it would have to be very large or very bright to be detected by their survey.[10] However, it turned out to be one of the reddest objects in the Kuiper belt, comparable only to Quaoar, so the nickname turned out to not be very appropriate. It was however also the "seventh dwarf" discovered by Brown's team, after Quaoar in 2002, Sedna in 2003, Haumea and Orcus in 2004, and Makemake and Eris in 2005.

OR10 is currently the largest known object in the Solar System without an official name. In 2011 Brown decided he finally had enough information to justify giving it one,[5] since the discovery of water ice and the possibility of methane makes it noteworthy enough to warrant study.[11] The new findings also suggest that the red-tinged dwarf planet may be covered in a thin layer of methane, the remnants of an atmosphere that's slowly being lost into space.

Distance

2007 OR10 came to perihelion around 1856.[4] It is currently 86 AU from the Sun.[9][12] This makes it the 3rd farthest known large body in the Solar System, after Eris (97 AU) and Sedna (88 AU).[10] It will be further from the Sun than Sedna in 2013.[12] 2007 OR10 will be further than both Sedna and Eris by 2045,[13] and it will come to aphelion (furthest distance from the Sun) in 2130.[12]

Absolute magnitude

The size of an object depends on its absolute magnitude (H) and the albedo (the amount of light it reflects). 2007 OR10 has an absolute magnitude (H) of 1.7.[4] This makes it the fifth brightest TNO known, a little less bright than Sedna (H=1.6; <1600 km)[14] and brighter than Orcus (H=2.3; ~950 km).[15] It is likely that 2007 OR10 has a size somewhere between Sedna and Quaoar (H=2.6).[10]

2007 OR10 is among one of the reddest objects known.[5] This is probably in part because of the retention of methane.[5]

Semi-major axis and orbital period

2007 OR10 is on an orbit similar to that of the dwarf planet Eris,[16] making it a scattered disc object.[2] 2007 OR10 was discovered when searching for objects in the region of Sedna.[17]

2007 OR10 has been observed 46 times over seven oppositions with precovery images back to 1985.[4]

EarthMoonCharonCharonNixNixKerberosKerberosStyxStyxHydraHydraPlutoPlutoDysnomiaDysnomiaErisErisNamakaNamakaHi'iakaHi'iakaHaumeaHaumeaMakemakeMakemakeMK2MK2XiangliuXiangliuGonggongGonggongWeywotWeywotQuaoarQuaoarSednaSednaVanthVanthOrcusOrcusActaeaActaeaSalaciaSalacia2002 MS42002 MS4File:10 Largest Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOS).png
Artistic comparison of Pluto, Eris, Makemake, Haumea, Gonggong (2007 OR10), Sedna, Quaoar, Orcus, 2002 MS4, and Salacia.

It was formally announced on January 7, 2009.[1]

Orbit

The orbit of 2007 OR10 compared to the orbit of Eris and Pluto.
Unconfirmed Resonance

The preliminary motion of OR10 librating in a 10:3 resonance with Neptune. This resonance is not confirmed and may be merely a near resonance.[3]

The Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES) shows the nominal orbit as in a 10:3 resonance with Neptune.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "MPEC 2009-A42 : 2007 OR10". Minor Planet Center. 2009-01-07. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  2. ^ a b "List Of Centaurs and Scattered-Disk Objects". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  3. ^ a b c Marc W. Buie (2008-08-23). "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 225088". SwRI (Space Science Department). Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 225088 (2007 OR10)". 2009-11-06 last obs. Retrieved 2011-01-02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e f Michael E. Brown; Burgasser, A.J.; Fraser W.C. (2011). "The Surface Composition of Large Kuiper Belt Object 2007 OR10" (PDF). Mike Brown's Website. arXiv:1108.1418. Retrieved 2011-08-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Assuming an albedo of 0.40
  7. ^ Assuming an albedo of 0.15
  8. ^ Dan Bruton. "Conversion of Absolute Magnitude to Diameter for Minor Planets". Department of Physics & Astronomy (Stephen F. Austin State University). Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  9. ^ a b "AstDys 2007OR10 Ephemerides". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Archived from the original on 2009-05-17. Retrieved 2009-03-16. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ a b c d Michael E. Brown (2009-03-10). "Snow White needs a bailout". Mike Brown's Planets (blog). Archived from the original on 2009-05-17. Retrieved 2010-02-17. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ a b c "Astronomers Find Ice and Possibly Methane On Snow White, a Distant Dwarf Planet". Science Daily. August 22, 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  12. ^ a b c "Horizon Online Ephemeris System". California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  13. ^ JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System (2011-02-17). "Horizons Output for Sedna 2076/2114". Retrieved 2011-02-17.
  14. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 90377 Sedna (2003 VB12)". 2008-10-23 last obs. Retrieved 2009-01-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 90482 Orcus (2004 DW)". 2008-12-04 last obs. Retrieved 2009-02-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 136199 Eris (2003 UB313)". 2008-10-04 last obs. Retrieved 2009-01-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ Schwamb, Megan E. (2009). "A Search for Distant Solar System Bodies in the Region of Sedna". Astrophysical Journal Letters. arXiv:0901.4173. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/694/1/L45. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)


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