2005 VX3

Trans-Neptunian object November 2018 yes 2005 VX 3 #C2E0FF Mount Lemmon Srvy. Mount Lemmon Obs.(first observed only) 1 November 2005 2005 VX 3 TNOdamocloidunusualdistant 21 November 2025 (JD 2461000.5) 4 81 days 2124.24 AU 4.1435 AU 1064.19 AU 0.9961 34,717 yr 0.2061° 0.000028 ms / day 112.69° 255.11° 196.48° 0.8405 AU −0.968 7 km (est.) 0.09 (assumed) 14.1 2005 VX 3 is a trans-Neptunian object and retrograde damocloid on a highly eccentric, cometary-like orbit. It was first observed on 1 November 2005, by astronomers with the Mount Lemmon Survey at the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, United States. The unusual object measures approximately 7 km mi off 1 us in diameter. It has the 3rd largest known heliocentric semi-major axis and aphelion. Additionally its perihelion lies within the orbit of Jupiter, which means it also has the largest orbital eccentricity of any known minor planet. Description 2005 VX 3 orbits the Sun at a distance of 4.1–2,124 AU once every 34,717 years (semi-major axis of 1,064 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.9961 and an inclination of 113° with respect to the ecliptic. It belongs to the dynamical group of damocloids due to its retrograde orbit and its low Tisserand parameter (TJupiter of −0.968). It is a Jupiter-, Saturn-, Uranus-, and Neptune-crosser. The body's observation arc begins with its first observation by the Mount Lemmon Survey on 1 November 2005. Orbital evolution — Barycentric elements Year(epoch) Aphelion Semi-major axis Ref 1950 2710 AU n.a. footnoteA 2012 1914 AU n.a. jpldata-2012 2015 2563 AU n.a. MPC-2016 2016 3235 AU n.a. JPL-2016 2050 2049 AU 1026 AU footnoteA 2005 VX 3 has a barycentric semi-major axis of ~1026 AU.Given the orbital eccentricity of this object, different epochs can generate quite different heliocentric unperturbed two-body best-fit solutions to the semi-major axis and orbital period. For objects at such high eccentricity, the Sun's barycentric coordinates are more stable than heliocentric coordinates. Using JPL Horizons, the barycentric semi-major axis is approximately 1026 AU. footnoteA lower-alpha 2014 FE 72 and 668643 2012 DR 30 have a larger barycentric semi-major axis. The epoch of January 2016 was when 2005 VX 3 had its largest heliocentric semi-major axis. The object has a short observation arc of 81 days and does not have a well constrained orbit. It has not been observed since January 2006, when it came to perihelion, 4.1 AU from the Sun. It may be a dormant comet that has not been seen outgassing. In the past it may have made closer approaches to the Sun that could have removed most near-surface volatiles. The current orbit crosses the ecliptic just inside Jupiter's orbit and has a Jupiter-MOID of 0.8 AU. In 2017, it had an apparent magnitude of ~28 and was 24 AU from the Sun. It comes to opposition in mid-June.October 2025 It would require one of the largest telescopes in the world for any more follow-up observations. Comparison thumb|center|500px|The orbits of Sedna, 2012 VP 113, Leleākūhonua, and other very distant objects along with the predicted orbit of Planet Nine. The three sednoids (pink) along with the red-colored extreme trans-Neptunian object (eTNO) orbits are suspected to be aligned against the hypothetical Planet Nine while the blue-colored eTNO orbits are aligned. The highly elongated orbits colored brown include centaurs and damocloids with large aphelion distances over 200 AU. See also 709487 2013 BL 76 668643 2012 DR 30 2013 AZ 60 List of Solar System objects by greatest aphelion Notes lower-alpha jpldata-2012 Archived JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2005 VX3) from https://archive.today/20121213175657/http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2005VX3 13 December 2012. JPL Epoch 2012 orbital solution that has aphelion (Q)=1914 AU. MPC-2013 Archived MPC object data for (2005 VX3) from https://archive.today/20140308153340/http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=2005+VX3 8 March 2014. JPL-2016 Archived MPC object data for (2005 VX3) from https://archive.today/20121213175657/http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2005VX3 JPL Webcite archive of Epoch 2016-Jan-13 with aphelion (Q) of 3235AU. MPC-2016 Archived MPC object data for (2005 VX3) from Minor Planet Center archive of Epoch 2015-06-27 with aphelion (Q) of 2563 AU. References 30em 2006-01-21 last obs. JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2005 VX3) https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=3299811 Jet Propulsion Laboratory 20 November 2018 2005 VX3 Minor Planet Center https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=2005+VX3 20 November 2018 MPEC 2005-V58 : 2005 VX3 IAU Minor Planet Center 8 November 2005 https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K05/K05V58.html 20 November 2018 (K05V03X) List Of Other Unusual Objects Minor Planet Center 14 November 2018 https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/t_others.html 19 November 2018 List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects Johnston's Archive 7 October 2018 Johnston Wm. Robert http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/tnoslist.html 19 November 2018 JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: Asteroids and a > 100 (AU) JPL Solar System Dynamics http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb_query.cgi?obj_group=all;obj_kind=ast;obj_numbered=all;OBJ_field=0;ORB_field=0;c1_group=ORB;c1_item=Bh;c1_op=%3E;c1_value=100;table_format=HTML;max_rows=100;format_option=comp;c_fields=AcBhBgBjBiBnBsCjCpAiCkBe;.cgifields=format_option;.cgifields=ast_orbit_class;.cgifields=table_format;.cgifields=obj_kind;.cgifields=obj_group;.cgifields=obj_numbered;.cgifields=com_orbit_class&query=1&c_sort=BhD 2014-03-06 (Epoch defined at will change every 6 months or so) 6 Nathan A. Kaib Andrew C. Becker R. Lynne Jones Andrew W. Puckett Dmitry Bizyaev Benjamin Dilday Joshua A. Frieman Daniel J. Oravetz Kaike Pan Thomas Quinn Donald P. Schneider Shannon Watters April 2009 2006 SQ372: A Likely Long-Period Comet from the Inner Oort Cloud The Astrophysical Journal 695 1 268–275 2009ApJ...695..268K 10.1088/0004-637X/695/1/268 0901.1690 16987581 Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for 2005 VX3 Horizons output http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi?find_body=1&body_group=sb&sstr=2005VX3 6 March 2014 (Solution using the Solar System Barycenter and barycentric coordinates. Select Ephemeris Type:Elements and Center:@0) External links Shefford Observatory - 2005 November notes: 2005 WC, 2005 VX3, 2005 WY3, 2005 WN3, 2005 WY, GS5BRH 3299811 Category:Damocloids # # Category:Minor planet object articles (unnumbered) 20051101 Category:Minor planets with a retrograde orbit Category:Inner Oort cloud