(84922) 2003 VS2

(84922) 2003 VS2 is a trans-Neptunian object discovered by the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking program on 14 November 2003.[1] Like Pluto, it is in a 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune[3][4] and is thus a plutino. Mike Brown's website lists it as "likely" a dwarf planet.[10] However, Brown assumed that 2003 VS2 was significantly larger than it really is, and analysis of its light-curve suggests that it may not be in the hydrostatic equilibrium.[11]

(84922) 2003 VS2
Hubble Space Telescope image of 2003 VS2 taken in 2005
Discovery[1]
Discovered byNEAT (644)
Discovery date14 November 2003[2]
Designations
(84922) 2003 VS2
none
Plutino[3][4]
Orbital characteristics[2][3]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 3
Observation arc8830 days (24.18 yr)
Earliest precovery date17 September 1991
Aphelion42.413 AU (6.3449 Tm)
Perihelion36.456 AU (5.4537 Tm)
39.435 AU (5.8994 Tm)
Eccentricity0.075539
247.64 yr (90451.3 d)
4.75 km/s
15.535°
0° 0m 14.328s / day
Inclination14.777°
302.792°
114.317°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions(627.6+14.2
−14.2) × (531+17.6
−19.6) × (494.6+53.2
−87.2) km[5]
Mean diameter
  • 548.3+29.5
    −44.6     km    [5]
  • 523.0+35.1
    −34.4     km    [6]
Mean density
1.4+1.0
−0.3 g/cm3[5]
7.4175285±0.00001 h[7]
7.41±0.02 h[8]
0.131+0.024
−0.013[5]
Temperature≈44 K
19.7[9]

Orbit and rotation

Like Pluto, (84922) 2003 VS2 is locked in the 3:2 mean-motion resonance with Neptune, although its orbit is both less inclined and significantly less eccentric than Pluto's.[2]

(84922) 2003 VS2 has a significant light-curve amplitude of 0.21±0.01. The most likely value of the rotation period is 7.41±0.02 h.[8]

Physical characteristics

(84922) 2003 VS2 has a moderately red surface with a moderately red color indices B−V=0.93, V−R=0.59.[12] Its geometrical albedo is about 0.13.[5]

In 2007, its diameter was initially estimated by the Spitzer Space Telescope at 725±200 km.[13] However, in 2012, this was reduced to 523.0+35.1
−34.4 km after new Herschel Space Telescope observations.[6] In 2019, 2003 VS2 was found to be ellipsoidal in shape based on stellar occultations that occurred in 2013 and 2014;[5] the light curve derived from the occultations suggests that this plutino is not in hydrostatic equilibrium and hence not a dwarf planet.[14] The dimensions of 2003 VS2 are estimated at 627.6 km × 531 km × 494.6 km, with a volume-equivalent diameter 548.3+29.5
−44.6 km.[5] 2003 VS2 has no known satellite that can be used to directly determine its mass, but assuming a density of 1 g/cm3, typical of mid size TNO's,[15] gives a mass estimate of about 7.5×1019 kg.

2003 VS2 (apparent magnitude 19.8) as viewed with a 24" telescope
Colours of the TNOs plus Phoebe, Pholus, Triton and Mars. Mars and Triton are not to scale.

See also
  • Sedna, another large trans-Neptunian object discovered the same day (14 November 2003)

References
  1. Marsden, Brian G. (16 November 2003). "MPEC 2003-W02 : 2003 VS2". IAU Minor Planet Center. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  2. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 84922 (2003 VS2)" (2008-02-05 last obs). Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  3. Buie, Marc W. (5 February 2008). "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 84922". SwRI (Space Science Department). Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  4. "MPEC 2006-X45 : Distant Minor Planets". Minor Planet Center & Tamkin Foundation Computer Network. 21 December 2006. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  5. Benedetti-Rossi, Gustavo; Santos-Sanz, P.; Ortiz, J. L.; Assafin, M.; Sicardy, B.; Morales, N. (2019). "The trans-Neptunian object (84922) 2003 VS2 through stellar occultations". The Astronomical Journal. 158 (4). arXiv:1908.06645. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ab3b05.
  6. Mommert, Michael; Harris, A. W.; Kiss, C.; Pál, A.; Santos-Sanz, P.; Stansberry, J.; Delsanti, A.; Vilenius, E.; Müller, T. G.; Peixinho, N.; Lellouch, E.; Szalai, N.; Henry, F.; Duffard, R.; Fornasier, S.; Hartogh, P.; Mueller, M.; Ortiz, J. L.; Protopapa, S.; Rengel, M.; Thirouin, A. (May 2012). "TNOs are cool: A survey of the trans-Neptunian region—V. Physical characterization of 18 Plutinos using Herschel-PACS observations". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 541: A93. arXiv:1202.3657. Bibcode:2012A&A...541A..93M. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118562.
  7. Santos-Sanz, P.; Lellouch, E.; Groussin, O.; Lacerda, P.; Muller, T.G.; Ortiz, J.L.; Kiss, C.; Vilenius, E.; Stansberry, J.; Duffard, R.; Fornasier, S.; Jorda, L.; Thirouin, A. (August 2017). ""TNOs are Cool": A survey of the trans-Neptunian region XII. Thermal light curves of Haumea, 2003 VS2 and 2003 AZ84 with Herschel/PACS". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 604 (A95): 19. arXiv:1705.09117. Bibcode:2017A&A...604A..95S. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201630354.
  8. Sheppard, Scott S. (August 2007). "Light Curves of Dwarf Plutonian Planets and other Large Kuiper Belt Objects: Their Rotations, Phase Functions, and Absolute Magnitudes". The Astronomical Journal. 134 (2): 787–798. arXiv:0704.1636. Bibcode:2007AJ....134..787S. doi:10.1086/519072.
  9. "AstDys (84922) 2003VS2 Ephemerides". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  10. Brown, Michael E. "How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system? (updates daily)". California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  11. Tancredi, Gonzalo (2009). "Physical and dynamical characteristics of icy "dwarf planets" (plutoids)". Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union Symposium S263. 5: 173–185. Bibcode:2010IAUS..263..173T. doi:10.1017/S1743921310001717. (Dwarf Planet & Plutoid Headquarters)
  12. Tegler, Stephen C. (1 February 2007). "Kuiper Belt Object Magnitudes and Surface Colors". Archived from the original on 1 September 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
  13. Stansberry, John; Grundy, Will; Brown, Mike; Cruikshank, Dale; Spencer, John; Trilling, David; Margot, Jean-Luc (2008). "Physical Properties of Kuiper Belt and Centaur Objects: Constraints from Spitzer Space Telescope" (PDF). In Barucci, M. Antonietta; Boehnhardt, Hermann; Cruikshank, Dale P. (eds.). The Solar System Beyond Neptune. University of Arizona press. pp. 161–179. arXiv:astro-ph/0702538. Bibcode:2008ssbn.book..161S. ISBN 978-0-8165-2755-7.
  14. Benedetti-Rossi, Gustavo; Santos-Sanz, Pablo; Ortiz, Jose Luis; Assafin, Marcelo; Sicardy, Bruno; Vieira-Martins, Roberto; Braga-Ribas, Felipe (2019). "Three Stellar Occultations by the Plutino Object (84922) 2003 VS2". Epsc-DPS Joint Meeting 2019. 2019: EPSC-DPS2019-435. Bibcode:2019EPSC...13..435B.
  15. Grundy, W.M.; Noll, K.S.; Buie, M.W.; Benecchi, S.D.; Ragozzine, D.; Roe, H.G. (2019). "The mutual orbit, mass, and density of transneptunian binary Gǃkúnǁ'hòmdímà (229762 2007 UK126)". Icarus. 334: 30–38. Bibcode:2019Icar..334...30G. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2018.12.037.
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