2017 MB7
 Highly eccentric orbit of 2017 MB7 | |
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Pan-STARRS 1 |
| Discovery site | Haleakala Obs. |
| Discovery date | 22 June 2017 (first observed only) |
| Designations | |
| TNO[2] · damocloid[3] unusual[4] · distant[1] | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 31 May 2020 (JD 2459000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 2 | |
| Observation arc | 174 days |
| Aphelion | 3,419±89 AU |
| Perihelion | 4.458 AU |
| 1,712±45 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.9974 |
| 70,825±2,767 yr | |
| 0.0181° | |
| 0° 0m 0.05s / day | |
| Inclination | 55.724° |
| 58.247° | |
| 80.627±0.002° | |
| TJupiter | 1.477 |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 9 km (assumed)[3] | |
| 0.09 (assumed)[3] | |
| 14.156±0.332[2] 14.2[1] | |
2017 MB7 is a trans-Neptunian object and damocloid on a cometary-like orbit from the outer Solar System, approximately 9 kilometers (6 miles) in diameter. It was first observed on 22 June 2017 by the Pan-STARRS survey at Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii, United States.[1] This unusual object has the largest heliocentric aphelion, semi-major axis, orbital eccentricity and orbital period of any known periodic minor planet, even larger than that of 2010 LN135 and 2014 FE72; it is calculated to reach several thousand AU (Earth–Sun) distances at the farthest extent of its orbit.
Orbit and classification
[edit]2017 MB7 orbits the Sun at a distance of 4.5–3,419 AU once every 70,825 years (semi-major axis of 1712 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.9974 and an inclination of 56° with respect to the ecliptic.[2]
As it has an eccentricity higher than 0.50, the distant object is labelled an (other) unusual object by the Minor Planet Center.[4] Johnston's Archive groups it to the damocloids,[3] due to its extreme orbital elements and a TJupiter of less than 2, while in JPL's Small Body Database, it is a trans-Neptunian object with a semi-major axis larger than that of Neptune.[2]
Physical characteristics
[edit]Very little is known for certain about the body's physical characteristics. Johnston's Archive assumes a generic distant-object albedo of 0.09 and calculates a diameter of 9 kilometers.[3] Like other distant objects, it is probably also fairly red in appearance due to tholins on its surface.[citation needed]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "2017 MB7". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2017 MB7)" (2017-12-13 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Johnston, Wm. Robert (7 October 2018). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
- ^ a b "List Of Other Unusual Objects". Minor Planet Center. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
External links
[edit]- 2017 MB7 at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
- 2017 MB7 at the JPL Small-Body Database
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