(315530) 2008 AP129 (provisional designation 2008 AP129) is a trans-Neptunian object and possibly a cubewano from the outermost regions of the Solar System, approximately 480 kilometers in diameter. It was discovered on 11 January 2008, by American Michael E. Brown and Megan Schwamb at Palomar Observatory in California.[4]

(315530) 2008 AP129
Discovery[1]
Discovered byM. E. Schwamb
M. E. Brown
Discovery sitePalomar Obs.
Discovery date11 January 2008
Designations
(315530) 2008 AP129
2008 AP129
TNO[1] · cubewano(?)[2]
Extended[3] · distant[4]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 2 February 2023 (JD 2460000.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Observation arc33.46 yr (12,220 days)
Earliest precovery date9 October 1989
Aphelion47.503 AU
Perihelion35.837 AU
41.670 AU
Eccentricity0.1400
268.99 yr (98,249 d)
57.045°
0° 0m 13.32s / day
Inclination27.458°
14.757°
56.567°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions460.81 km (calculated)[5]
486 km[2]
494 km[6]
9.04±0.02 h[7]
0.07 (assumed)[6]
0.09 (assumed)[2]
0.10 (assumed)[5]
C (assumed)[5]
4.95[1][5] · 5.1[6]

Description edit

2008 AP129 orbits the Sun at a distance of 35.8–47.5 AU once every 267 years and 11 months (98,249 days; semi-major axis of 41.70 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.14 and an inclination of 27° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] It has 3 precovery observations back to 1989.[4] Lightcurve analysis gave an ambiguous rotation period of 9.04 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.12 magnitude (U=2).[5][7] 2008 AP129 has been identified as a member of the Haumea family in a dynamical study led by Proudfoot and Ragozzine in 2019.[8]

Origin edit

Based on their common pattern of infrared water-ice absorption and the clustering of their orbital elements, the other KBOs, it appear to be collisional fragments broken off the dwarf planet Haumea. The neutral color of the spectrum of these objects in the visible range evidences a lack of complex organics on the surface of these bodies that has been studied in detail for the surface of Haumea.[citation needed]

Numbering and naming edit

This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 7 February 2012.[9] As of 2023, it has not been named.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 315530 (2008 AP129)" (2023-03-25 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Johnston, Wm. Robert (15 October 2017). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  3. ^ Marc W. Buie. "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 315530". SwRI (Space Science Department). Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d "315530 (2008 AP129)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e "LCDB Data for (315530)". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  6. ^ a b c Michael E. Brown. "How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system?". California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  7. ^ a b Thirouin, Audrey; Sheppard, Scott S.; Noll, Keith S.; Moskovitz, Nicholas A.; Ortiz, Jose Luis; Doressoundiram, Alain (June 2016). "Rotational Properties of the Haumea Family Members and Candidates: Short-term Variability". The Astronomical Journal. 151 (6): 20. arXiv:1603.04406. Bibcode:2016AJ....151..148T. doi:10.3847/0004-6256/151/6/148. S2CID 118510175.
  8. ^ Proudfoot, Benjamin; Ragozzine, Darin (May 2019). "Modeling the Formation of the Family of the Dwarf Planet Haumea". The Astronomical Journal. 157 (6): 230. arXiv:1904.00038. Bibcode:2019AJ....157..230P. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ab19c4. S2CID 90262136.
  9. ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 25 February 2018.

External links edit