(528219) 2008 KV42

(528219) 2008 KV42
The orbit of 2008 KV42 is nearly perpendicular to the ecliptic
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered by
Discovery siteMauna Kea Obs.
Discovery date31 May 2008
Designations
(528219) 2008 KV42
2008 KV42 · Drac[3]
Orbital characteristics[4]
Epoch 1 July 2021 (JD 2459396.5)
Uncertainty parameter 3[4] · 1[1]
Observation arc12.20 yr (4,456 d)
Aphelion62.917 AU
Perihelion21.152 AU
42.035 AU
Eccentricity0.4968
272.53 yr (99,543 d)
341.23°
0° 0m 12.96s / day
Inclination103.41°
260.91°
132.61°
Uranus MOID4.26 AU[1]
TJupiter-1.0210
Physical characteristics
77 km (est. at 0.09)[6]
22.89[8]
8.8[1][4]

(528219) 2008 KV42 (provisional designation: 2008 KV42; nicknamed Drac)[3] is a trans-Neptunian object and the first one with a retrograde orbit to be discovered. This retrograde motion with an orbital inclination of 103° suggests that it is the missing link between its source in the Hills cloud and Halley-type comets, thus providing further insight into the evolution of the outer Solar System. The object measures approximately 77 kilometers (48 miles) in diameter. With a semi-major axis of 42 AU, it takes about 269 years to complete an orbit around the Sun.

Officially discovered on 31 May 2008, the discovery was announced on 16 July 2008, by the Canada–France Ecliptic Plane Survey team led by Brett Gladman. The discovery team nicknamed 2008 KV42 "Drac" after Count Dracula.

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  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference MPEC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Gladman-2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference jpldata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Buie-DES was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference johnstonsarchive-TNOs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Nakamura-Damocloid-list was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference AstDys-object was invoked but never defined (see the help page).