2003 UZ413
Hubble Space Telescope image of 2003 UZ413 taken in 2008
Discovery[1]
Discovered byM. E. Brown
D. L. Rabinowitz
C. A. Trujillo
Discovery date21 October 2003
Designations
2003 UZ413
TNO[2] · plutino[3][4][a]
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Observation arc63.25 years (23103 days)\
Earliest precovery date29 July 1954
Aphelion47.968 AU (7.1759 Tm)
Perihelion30.241 AU (4.5240 Tm)
39.104 AU (5.8499 Tm)
Eccentricity0.22667
244.54 yr (89317.3 d)
113.43°
0° 0m 14.51s / day
Inclination12.04911°
135.930°
145.00°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions650+1
−175 km (upper limit)[5]
472+122
−25 km (lower limit)[5]
Mass≈3×1020 kg[b]
Mean density
2.29–3.00 > ρ >0.72 g/cm3[6]
2.64 g/cm3[7]
4.13±0.05 h[6][8]
4.14 h[2]
0.075+0.076
−0.006 (lower limit)[5]
0.151+0.025
−0.064 (upper limit)[5]
V–R=0.45±0.04[5]
BB taxon (blue/neutral)[7][9][c]
V−R=0.46±0.06
R−I=0.37±0.06[9]
21[10]
4.38±0.05[5]
4.3 (assumed)[2]

(455502) 2003 UZ413 (provisional designation 2003 UZ413) is a trans-Neptunian object (TNO) with an absolute magnitude of 4.38.[5] It is in a 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune, thus it is classified as a plutino.[3] There are indications it may be dense enough to be a dwarf planet. It was given the minor planet number 455502 on 22 February 2016.[11]

2003 UZ413 has been observed 79 times over 15 oppositions, with precovery images back to 27 July 1954.[2]

Orbit and rotation

Precovery image of 2003 UZ413 taken by the Siding Spring Observatory in 1996.[11]

2003 UZ413 is in a 2:3 resonance with Neptune, which means that when it makes two revolutions around the Sun, Neptune makes exactly three.[3]

The object rotates very fast. In fact, with a period of about 4.13 hours, it is the fastest rotator known in the Kuiper belt after Haumea.[6][8]

Physical characteristics

The mean diameter of 2003 UZ413 is estimated to be 650+1
−175 km, assuming a low albedo.[5]

Given its rapid rotation, it must have a density higher than 0.72 g/cm3.[6] Stable Jacobi ellipsoids with an axis ratio of a/b ≥ 1.13±0.03, as implied by its light-curve amplitude of Δm = 0.13±0.03, exist for densities in the range of 2.29−3.00 g/cm3.[6] The Johnston's Archive settles on 2.64 g/cm3,[7] the centre of the latter range; for a 600 km equivalent spheroid body, this would equate to a mass of approximately 3.0×1020 kg. The extremely high estimated density (in contrast to any known similarly sized TNO)[12] would make it virtually certain that this object is a dwarf planet, but confirmation would require additional observation to refine the size and light curve details, preferably with discovery of a satellite to determine its mass.

In visible light, this object is neutral or slightly red in color and has a flat, featureless reflectance spectrum.[8]

Notes

  1. ^ Buie page actually says 3:2 resonance... thus, also "Plutino"
  2. ^ very approximate figure, assuming equivalent spherical diameter of ≈600 km and density ≈2.64 g/cc3
  3. ^ equivalent to V-I=0.75±0.06, B-V=0.68±0.06 and V-R=0.39±0.05

References

  1. ^ Brown, M.; Trujillo, C.; Rabinowitz, D.; Marsden, B. G. (2007-09-01). "2003 UY413, 2003 UZ413, 2004 NT33, 2005 CA79, 2005 CB79, 2005 UQ513". Minor Planet Electronic Circulars. 2007-R02: 02. Bibcode:2007MPEC....R...02B. MPEC 2007-R02.
  2. ^ a b c d e "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2003 UZ413)" (last observation: 2017-10-29). Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Marsden, B. G. (2008-07-17). "Distant Minor Planets". Minor Planet Electronic Circulars. MPEC 2008-O05. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
  4. ^ Marc W. Buie (2015-09-24). "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 2003 UZ413". SwRI (Space Science Department). Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Farkas-Takács, A.; Kiss, Cs.; Vilenius, E.; Marton, G.; Müller, T. G.; Mommert, M.; et al. (28 February 2020). ""TNOs are Cool": A survey of the trans-Neptunian region". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 638: A23. arXiv:2002.12712. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201936183. S2CID 216193564.
  6. ^ a b c d e Perna, D.; Dotto, E.; Barucci, M. A.; Rossi, A.; Fornasier, S.; de Bergh, C. (2009). "Rotations and densities of trans-Neptunian objects". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 508 (1): 451–455. Bibcode:2009A&A...508..451P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200911970. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  7. ^ a b c William Robert Johnston. "List of known trans-Neptunian objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  8. ^ a b c Fornasier, S.; Barucci, M. A.; de Bergh, C.; Alvarez-Candal, A.; Demeo, F.; Merlin, F.; Perna, D.; Guilbert, A.; Delsanti, A.; Dotto, E.; Doressoundiram, A. (2009). "Visible spectroscopy of the new ESO large programme on trans-Neptunian objects and centaurs: Final results" (PDF). Astronomy and Astrophysics. 508 (1): 457–465. arXiv:0910.0450. Bibcode:2009A&A...508..457F. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200912582.
  9. ^ a b Perna, D.; Barucci, M.A.; Fornasier, S.; et al. (2010). "Colors and taxonomy of centaurs and trans-Neptunian objects". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 510: A53. arXiv:0912.2621. Bibcode:2010A&A...510A..53P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913654.
  10. ^ "2003 UZ413 Ephemerides". Asteroids Dynamic Site. Archived from the original on 2019-08-19. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  11. ^ a b "(455502) 2003 UZ413 Precovery Images". Andrew Lowe's Minor Planet. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  12. ^ Grundy, W.M.; Noll, K.S.; Buie, M.W.; Benecchi, S.D.; Ragozzine, D.; Roe, H.G. (December 2019). "The Mutual Orbit, Mass, and Density of Transneptunian Binary Gǃkúnǁʼhòmdímà ((229762) 2007 UK126)". Icarus. 334: 30–38. Bibcode:2019Icar..334...30G. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2018.12.037. S2CID 126574999. Archived from the original on 2019-04-07. Retrieved 2019-11-06.

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