2002 MS4
Encyclopedia
is a Trans-Neptunian object
(TNO). It was discovered in 2002 by Chad Trujillo
and Michael E. Brown
. It is classified as a cubewano by the Minor Planet Center
.
It is very likely a dwarf planet
. The Spitzer Space Telescope
has estimated it to have a diameter of 726 ± 123 km.
It is currently 47.2 AU from the Sun, and will come to perihelion
around 2122.
It has been observed 46 times with precovery
images back to 1954.
Trans-Neptunian object
A trans-Neptunian object is any minor planet in the Solar System that orbits the Sun at a greater distance on average than Neptune.The first trans-Neptunian object to be discovered was Pluto in 1930...
(TNO). It was discovered in 2002 by Chad Trujillo
Chad Trujillo
Chadwick A. "Chad" Trujillo is an astronomer and the co-discoverer of the dwarf planet Eris.Trujillo works with computer software and has examined the orbits of the numerous trans-Neptunian objects , which is the outer area of the solar system that he specialized in. In late August 2005, it was...
and Michael E. Brown
Michael E. Brown
Michael E. Brown has been a professor of planetary astronomy at the California Institute of Technology since 2003....
. It is classified as a cubewano by the Minor Planet Center
Minor Planet Center
The Minor Planet Center operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory , which is part of the Center for Astrophysics along with the Harvard College Observatory ....
.
It is very likely a dwarf planet
Dwarf planet
A dwarf planet, as defined by the International Astronomical Union , is a celestial body orbiting the Sun that is massive enough to be spherical as a result of its own gravity but has not cleared its neighboring region of planetesimals and is not a satellite...
. The Spitzer Space Telescope
Spitzer Space Telescope
The Spitzer Space Telescope , formerly the Space Infrared Telescope Facility is an infrared space observatory launched in 2003...
has estimated it to have a diameter of 726 ± 123 km.
It is currently 47.2 AU from the Sun, and will come to perihelion
Apsis
An apsis , plural apsides , is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system...
around 2122.
It has been observed 46 times with precovery
Precovery
Precovery is a term used in astronomy that describes the process of finding the image of an object in old archived images or photographic plates, for the purpose of calculating a more accurate orbit...
images back to 1954.
External links
- Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Ephemeris
- 2002 MS4 Precovery Images