Discovery[1] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | Pan-STARRS 2 |
Discovery site | Haleakalā Observatory |
Discovery date | 04 September 2023 |
Designations | |
2023 RB | |
P11IxKf | |
Centaur | |
Orbital characteristics[2] | |
Uncertainty parameter 2 | |
Observation arc | 10.3 years |
Aphelion | 46.9 AU (Q) |
Perihelion | 8.35 AU[3] (q) |
27.5 AU (a) | |
Eccentricity | 0.70496 (e) |
144.3 years | |
350.6° (M) | |
Inclination | 4.667° (i) |
137.5° (Ω) | |
6 March 2027[3] | |
257.4° (ω) | |
Saturn MOID | 0.014 AU (2.1 million km)[4] |
Uranus MOID | 0.019 AU (2.8 million km) |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 20–50 km |
10.5[4] | |
2023 RB is a centaur that makes close approaches to Saturn and Uranus. It is approximately 20–50 kilometers (12–31 miles) in diameter. On 25 September 2024 it will pass 0.261 AU (39.0 million km) from Saturn.[2] On 6 March 2027 it will come to perihelion 8.35 AU (1.2 billion km) from the Sun.[3] Then around January 2201, it will make a second close approach to Saturn of 0.074 AU (11.1 million km) ± 6.5 million km.[5]
Date and time of closest approach |
Saturn distance (AU) |
Sun distance (AU) |
Velocity relative to Saturn (km/s) |
Velocity relative to Sun (km/s) |
Uncertainty region (3-sigma) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
≈January 2201 | 0.074 AU (11.1 million km; 6.9 million mi; 29 LD) | 9.67 AU (1.447 billion km; 899 million mi) | 5.0 | 13.5 | ± 6.5 million km |