Open AccessThe scattered trans‐Neptunian object 1998 XY95
Author(s) -
CollanderBrown S.J.,
Fitzsimmons A.,
Fletcher E.,
Irwin M.J.,
Williams I.P.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2001.04455.x
Subject(s) - trans neptunian object , physics , neptune , orbit (dynamics) , astronomy , light curve , brown dwarf , object (grammar) , mean motion , orbital mechanics , solar system , resonance (particle physics) , astrophysics , planet , artificial intelligence , quantum mechanics , satellite , computer science , engineering , aerospace engineering
On 1998 December 12 a new trans‐Neptunian object, 1998 XY95, was discovered as part of a deep search. Recent observations of this object have placed it amongst the class of objects known as the scattered trans‐Neptunian objects (TNOs). A total of 39 CCD images of 1998 XY95 were taken over two nights, and these were used to search for a light curve, but no significant periodicity was found. An examination of the possible orbital evolution gives no indication of how it may have arrived on its present orbit. The current best‐fitting orbit is unstable, but remains within a band of semi‐major axis approximately 2 au wide. The bottom of this band is due to 3:1 mean motion resonance with Neptune, while the reason for the top of the band remains unclear.