2011 KW48 - Misplaced Pages

Large Kuiper belt object observed by New Horizons

2011 KW₄₈
Discovery
Discovered by	New Horizons KBO Search (266)
Discovery site	Subaru Telescope
Discovery date	29 May 2011 (discovery: first observed only)
Designations
MPC designation	2011 KW₄₈
Alternative designations	VNH0004
Minor planet category	TNO · inner classic distant
Orbital characteristics
Epoch 8 June 2011 (JD 2455720.5)
Uncertainty parameter n.a.
Observation arc	34 days
Aphelion	42.676 AU
Perihelion	32.368 AU
Semi-major axis	37.522 AU
Eccentricity	0.1374
Orbital period (sidereal)	229.84 yr (83,950 days)
Mean anomaly	347.91°
Mean motion	0° 0 15.48 / day
Inclination	3.6328°
Longitude of ascending node	246.15°
Argument of perihelion	46.931°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	77 km
Geometric albedo	0.09 (estimate)
Absolute magnitude (H)	8.8

2011 KW₄₈, temporarily designated VNH0004, is a trans-Neptunian object from the inner classical part of the Kuiper belt, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It measures approximately 77 kilometers (48 mi) in diameter.

The object was first observed on 29 May 2011, during the New Horizons KBO Search (266) conducted by astronomers using the Subaru Telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatory on Hawaii, United States. It was later observed by the New Horizons space probe from afar in January 2015.

Orbit and classification

2011 KW₄₈ orbits the Sun at a distance of 32.4–42.7 AU once every 229 years and 10 months (83,950 days; semi-major axis of 37.5 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.14 and an inclination of 3.6° with respect to the ecliptic.

This object was observed 12 times by the Mauna Kea (8) and Las Campanas (4) observatories over a period of about 33.8 days between 29 May and 2 July 2011. Because of this short period of observation, its current orbit is extremely uncertain.

New Horizons

Between 4–15 January 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft actively observed this object – then temporarily designated VNH0004 – at a distance of about 0.5 AU (75 million km; 46 million mi). While this was too far to resolve surface features or perform spectroscopic analyses of its composition, the spacecraft was able to search for possible satellites and observe its phase curve.

Physical characteristics

Based on an absolute magnitude of 8.8, and an assumed albedo of 0.09, the Johnston's archive estimates a mean diameter of approximately 77 kilometers (48 mi). As of 2018, no rotational lightcurve of 2011 KW₄₈ has been obtained from photometric observations. The object's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown.

Numbering and naming

As of 2018, this minor planet has not been numbered or named.

References

^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2011 KW48)" (2011-07-02 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
^ Johnston, Wm. Robert (30 December 2017). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
^ "2011 KW48". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
^ Gebhardt, Chris (19 January 2015). "New Horizons begins Pluto observations ahead of July flyby". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
^ Paul, Christopher (31 August 2012). "New Horizons to Encounter KBO Ahead of Pluto Flyby". AmericaSpace. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
"LCDB Data for (2011 KW48) – Not yet in Data Base". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 7 February 2018.

External links

Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for VNH0004, Southwest Research Institute, 25 October 2014
List of Transneptunian Objects, Minor Planet Center
Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)
2011 KW48 at the JPL Small-Body Database
- Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters

Small Solar System bodies

Minor planets

Designation Groups List Moon Meanings of names
Asteroid	Active Aten asteroid Asteroid belt Family Jupiter trojan Near-Earth Spectral types
Distant minor planet	Centaur Neptune trojan Damocloid Trans-Neptunian object Detached Kuiper belt Oort cloud Scattered disc

Comets

Other

New Horizons

Targets

Flybys	132524 APL Jupiter Pluto 486958 Arrokoth
Observations	Neptune and Triton 2011 JY31 2011 KW48 15810 Arawn 28978 Ixion Quaoar Haumea Eris Makemake (307261) 2002 MS4 (516977) 2012 HZ84 (556416) 2014 OE394 2012 HE85
Rejected	2011 HM102 2014 MT69 2014 OS393 2014 PN70

Spacecraft

Instruments	Alice Long Range Reconnaissance Imager PEPSSI Ralph REX Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter SWAP
Subsystems	GPHS-RTG

Personnel

Institutions	Applied Physics Laboratory Ball Aerospace Goddard Space Flight Center Jet Propulsion Laboratory KinetX Southwest Research Institute Stanford University University of Colorado
People	Frances Bagenal Richard Binzel Alice Bowman Marc Buie Lisa Hardaway Brian May Cathy Olkin Daniel Sarokon Mark Showalter Alan Stern Hal Weaver

Logistics

Atlas V (launch vehicle)
Centaur (upper stage)
Star 48B (3rd stage)
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41 (launch site)
Deep Space Network