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(674118) 2015 KH162

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(674118) 2015 KH162
Orbital diagram of 2015 KH162
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered byS. Sheppard
D. Tholen
C. Trujillo
Discovery siteMauna Kea Obs.
Discovery date18 May 2015
Designations
2015 KH162
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 1 July 2021 (JD 2459396.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2[2][3]
Observation arc11.36 yr (4,149 d)
Aphelion82.117 AU
Perihelion41.513 AU
61.815 AU
Eccentricity0.3284
486.02 yr (177,517 d)
67.564°
0° 0m 7.2s / day
Inclination28.903°
201.01°
295.63°
Physical characteristics
671 km (est.)[4][6]
22.12[7]
4.14[2][3]

(674118) 2015 KH162 is a large trans-Neptunian object orbiting in the scattered disc region of the outermost Solar System. First observed in 2015, this minor planet is one of the most distant objects from the Sun at 60.6 AU, or twice as far as Neptune.

Discovery

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2015 KH162 was first observed on 18 May 2015, in the constellation of Serpens by astronomers at the Mauna Kea Observatories using the Subaru Telescope. The discovery was announced by Scott Sheppard, David Tholen and Chad Trujillo on 23 February 2016. At the time, this minor planet was at a distance of 59.0 AU from the Sun and had a relatively bright magnitude of 21.4 for its enormous distance.[1][2]

Orbit and classification

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2015 KH162 orbits the Sun at a distance of 41.5–82.1 AU once every 486 years (177,517 days; semi-major axis of 61.82 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.33 and an inclination of 29° with respect to the ecliptic.[3]

It is classified as a scattered disc object,[4] or "near-scattered" object in the classification of the Deep Ecliptic Survey,[5] that still gravitationally interacts with Neptune (30.1 AU) due to its relatively low perihelion of 41.5 AU, contrary to the extended-scattered/detached objects and sednoids, latter which stay well beyond the Kuiper cliff at 47.8 AU.

Most distant objects from the Sun

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2015 KH162 last came to perihelion around 1930,[3][8] moving away from the Sun ever since and is currently at about 60.6 AU,[7] twice as far from the Sun than Neptune. Its current distance makes it one of the most distant known minor planets in the Solar System (also see List of Solar System objects most distant from the Sun § Known distant objects).[9] In 2415, the object will reach its aphelion at 82.1 AU.[8]

Physical characteristics

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Based on a generic magnitude-to-diameter conversion, 2015 KH162 measures approximately 671 kilometers (420 miles) in diameter, for an assumed albedo of 0.9 and an magnitude of 4.1.[4][6] As of 2021, no rotational lightcurve for this object has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period and pole as well as its albedo and surface composition remain unknown.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b "MPEC 2016-D40 : 2015 KH162". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "2015 KH162". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 KH162)" (2021-07-07 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 15KH162". Southwest Research Institute. Retrieved 8 September 2021. (The Deep Ecliptic Survey Object Classifications)
  6. ^ a b "Asteroid Size Estimator". CNEOS NASA/JPL. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Asteroid 2014 SV349 – Ephemerides". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Horizon Online Ephemeris System". California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Observational Query: objects more than 57.0 AU from the Sun". AstDyS-2, Asteroids – Dynamic Site, Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
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