(78799) 2002 XW93

(78799) 2002 XW93, provisional designation 2002 XW93, is a trans-Neptunian object and centaur from the outer Solar System, approximately 565 kilometers (351 mi) in diameter. It was discovered on 10 December 2002, by astronomers at the Palomar Observatory in California.[1] According to American astronomer Michael Brown, the minor planet is a likely dwarf planet.[5]

(78799) 2002 XW93
Discovery [1][2]
Discovered byPalomar Obs.
Discovery sitePalomar Obs.
Discovery date10 December 2002
Designations
(78799) 2002 XW93
2002 XW93
TNO [2] · centaur [3]
other TNO [4] · distant [1]
Orbital characteristics [2]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 4
Observation arc18.76 yr (6,852 d)
Earliest precovery date17 December 1989
Aphelion46.812 AU
Perihelion27.909 AU
37.360 AU
Eccentricity0.2530
228.36 yr (83,410 d)
145.37°
0° 0m 15.48s / day
Inclination14.383°
46.928°
247.18°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
565+71
−73 km[3][4]
584 km[5]
0.038[3][4]
5.5[1][2]

    Orbit and physical characteristics

    2002 XW93 orbits the Sun at a distance of 27.9–46.8 AU once every 228 years and 4 months (83,410 days; semi-major axis of 37.36 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.25 and an inclination of 14° with respect to the ecliptic.[2] The body's observation arc begins with a precovery published by the Digitized Sky Survey and taken Palomar in December 1989, or 13 years prior to its official discovery observation.[1]

    As of 2016, after a total of 29 observations, its orbital uncertainty parameter is at 3. Its last observation was made by the Hubble Space Telescope in September 2008.[1] On 10 August 1926, it most recently reached perihelion, when it was nearest to the Sun.[6][1] It is a near 5:7 resonant trans-Neptunian object.

    Numbering and naming

    This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 15 April 2004.[7] As of 2018, it has not been named.[1]

    References
    1. "78799 (2002 XW93)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
    2. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 78799 (2002 XW93)" (2008-09-20 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
    3. "Asteroid (78799) 2002 XW93". Small Bodies Data Ferret. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
    4. Johnston, Wm. Robert (7 October 2018). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
    5. "How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system?". Retrieved 2 January 2015.
    6. Marsden, Brian G. (24 December 2003). "MPEC 2003-Y55 : 2002 XW93". IAU Minor Planet Center. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
    7. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 24 February 2018.

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