1993 RP might be a
trans-Neptunian object
A trans-Neptunian object (TNO), also written transneptunian object, is any minor planet in the Solar System that orbits the Sun at a greater average distance than Neptune, which has a semi-major axis of 30.1 astronomical units (au).
Typically, ...
, perhaps in diameter, from the
Kuiper belt
The Kuiper belt () is a circumstellar disc in the outer Solar System, extending from the orbit of Neptune at 30 astronomical units (AU) to approximately 50 AU from the Sun. It is similar to the asteroid belt, but is far larger—20 times ...
in the outermost
Solar System
The Solar SystemCapitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar S ...
. However, the object has only a 2-day
observation arc
In observational astronomy, the observation arc (or arc length) of a Solar System body is the time period between its earliest and latest observations, used for tracing the body's path. It is usually given in days or years. The term is mostly use ...
, making the data insufficient to provide virtually any idea of its true orbit. It was first observed on 15 September 1993, by astronomers at the
Mauna Kea Observatory
The Mauna Kea Observatories (MKO) are a group of independent astronomical research facilities and large telescope observatories that are located at the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, United States. The facilities are located ...
, one night after and the night before .
On the discovery date of 15 September 1993 the object was estimated to have been from Earth with an uncertainty in the object's distance of ±200 billion km. Johnston's website generically lists it as a
plutino
In astronomy, the plutinos are a dynamical group of trans-Neptunian objects that orbit in 2:3 mean-motion resonance with Neptune. This means that for every two orbits a plutino makes, Neptune orbits three times. The dwarf planet Pluto is the lar ...
, like
Pluto
Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of trans-Neptunian object, bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object to directly orbit the S ...
, which are objects that stay in a
2:3 orbital
resonance with Neptune.
Briefly observed objects like 1993 RP generally have many possible orbits that fit the very small dataset. 1993 RP could be a TNO/centaur or a much closer main belt asteroid 100 times smaller in diameter. For example, was once thought to be a potential dwarf planet, but is now known to be a small main belt asteroid.
, the uncertainty in the object's distance from the Sun is ±.
See also
*
1995 GJ
1995 GJ might be a trans-Neptunian object and/or high-inclination cubewano from the Kuiper belt in the outermost region of the Solar System, and based on the calculated distance and brightness is assumed to be approximately in diameter. It is a ...
References
External links
List of Transneptunian Objects ''Minor Planet Center''
*
Kuiper belt objects
Minor planet object articles (unnumbered)
Lost minor planets
19930915
{{centaurTNO-stub