(416400) 2003 UZ117 (provisional designation 2003 UZ117) is a trans-Neptunian object and suspected member of the Haumea family, located in the Kuiper belt in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was discovered on 24 October 2003, by astronomers of the Spacewatch survey project at Kitt Peak Observatory, Arizona.[4] The object may also be a non-resonant cubewano.[3]
Discovery[1][2] | |
---|---|
Discovered by | Spacewatch |
Discovery site | Kitt Peak National Obs. |
Discovery date | 24 October 2003 |
Designations | |
(416400) 2003 UZ117 | |
2003 UZ117 | |
TNO[1][2] · cubewano(?)[3] distant[4] · Haumea[5] Extended[6] | |
Orbital characteristics[1] | |
Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
Uncertainty parameter 3 | |
Observation arc | 13.23 yr (4,831 days) |
Aphelion | 49.777 AU |
Perihelion | 38.325 AU |
44.051 AU | |
Eccentricity | 0.1300 |
292.38 yr (106,791 days) | |
339.93° | |
0° 0m 12.24s / day | |
Inclination | 27.473° |
204.72° | |
≈ 20 November 2032[7] ±2 days | |
247.45° | |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 138 km[8] 371 km (derived)[9] 423 km[3] |
6 h (poor)[10] 10.61±0.02 h[11] | |
0.07 (derived)[8] 0.09 (assumed)[3] 0.1 (assumed)[9] | |
BB[12] · C[9] | |
4.92±0.01 (R)[13] · 4.920±0.083 (R)[14] · 5.18±0.03[12] · 5.22[15] · 5.27[9] · 5.27±0.02[16] · 5.3[1] · 5.4[8] | |
2003 UZ117 orbits the Sun at a distance of 38.3–49.8 AU once every 292 years and 5 months (semi-major axis of 44.05 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.13 and an inclination of 27° with respect to the ecliptic.[1] Precovery images have been identified back to 2002.[4]
Estimates for its diameter range between 138 and 423 kilometers.[3][8][9] Two rotational lightcurves of the object gave a rotation period of 6 and 10.61 hours with a brightness amplitude of 0.1 and 0.09 in magnitude, respectively (U=1/2).[10][11] It has a spectral type of BB, with a grey/blue rather than red color.[12]
Based on their common pattern of infrared water-ice absorption and the clustering of their orbital elements, the other KBOs, it appear to be collisional fragments broken off the dwarf planet Haumea. The neutral color of the spectrum of these objects in the visible range evidences a lack of complex organics on the surface of these bodies that has been studied in detail for the surface of Haumea.[5]