(55636) 2002 TX300

(55636) 2002 TX300
Hubble Space Telescope image of 2002 TX300 taken in 2005
Discovery[1]
Discovered byNEAT (644)
Discovery sitePalomar Mountain
Discovery date15 October 2002
Designations
(55636) 2002 TX300
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Observation arc22380 days (61.27 yr)
Aphelion48.365 AU (7.2353 Tm)
Perihelion37.8672 AU (5.66485 Tm)
43.116 AU (6.4501 Tm)
Eccentricity0.12174
283.12 yr (103408 d)
73.7618°
0° 0m 12.533s / day
Inclination25.87838°
324.6984°
338.958°
Physical characteristics
  • 143±5 km (occultation)[4]
  • <320.6+125.2
    −103.4     km     (Spitzer two-band thermal model)[5]
Mass~1.2×1019 kg (assumed)[6]
8.12 h (0.338 d)
0.504 d (12.101 h)[1]
  • 0.88+0.15
    −0.06    [4]
  • > 0.173+0.203
    −0.083     (Spitzer)[5]
Temperature< 41 K
19.4[9]
3.4[1]

(55636) 2002 TX300 is a bright Kuiper belt object in the outer Solar System estimated to be about 286 kilometres (178 mi) in diameter.[4] It is a large member of the Haumea family that was discovered on 15 October 2002 by the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) program.[1]

2002 TX300 is a classical Kuiper belt object with an absolute magnitude between that of 50000 Quaoar and 20000 Varuna. 2002 TX300 has the most eccentric and inclined orbit of the three.

A variability of the visual brightness was also detected which could fit to 7.9 h or 15.8 h rotational period (the distinction between single or double-peaked curved could not be made with confidence). The changes in brightness are quite close to the error margin and could also be due to an irregular shape.[10]

  1. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference jpldata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference MPEC 2009-R09 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Buie was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Elliot2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference spitzer was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference mass was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Snodgrass2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Rabinowitz2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference AstDys was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ortiz2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).