- Source: 2005 VX3
2005 VX3 is trans-Neptunian object and retrograde damocloid on a highly eccentric, cometary-like orbit. It was first observed on 1 November 2005, by astronomers with the Mount Lemmon Survey at the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, United States. The unusual object measures approximately 7 kilometers (4 miles) in diameter. It has the 3rd largest known heliocentric semi-major axis and aphelion. Additionally its perihelion lies within the orbit of Jupiter, which means it also has the largest orbital eccentricity of any known minor planet.
Description
2005 VX3 orbits the Sun at a distance of 4.1–1,826 AU once every 27,672 years (semi-major axis of 915 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.9955 and an inclination of 112° with respect to the ecliptic. It belongs to the dynamical group of damocloids due to its retrograde orbit and its low Tisserand parameter (TJupiter of −0.9430). It is a Jupiter-, Saturn-, Uranus-, and Neptune-crosser. The body's observation arc begins with its first observation by the Mount Lemmon Survey on 1 November 2005.
2005 VX3 has a barycentric semi-major axis of ~1026 AU. 2014 FE72 and 2012 DR30 have a larger barycentric semi-major axis. The epoch of January 2016 was when 2005 VX3 had its largest heliocentric semi-major axis.
The object has a short observation arc of 81 days and does not have a well constrained orbit. It has not been observed since January 2006, when it came to perihelion, 4.1 AU from the Sun. It may be a dormant comet that has not been seen outgassing. In the past it may have made closer approaches to the Sun that could have removed most near-surface volatiles. The current orbit crosses the ecliptic just inside Jupiter's orbit and has a Jupiter-MOID of 0.8 AU.
In 2017, it had an apparent magnitude of ~28 and was 24 AU from the Sun. It comes to opposition in mid-June. It would require one of the largest telescopes in the world for any more follow-up observations.
Comparison
See also
2013 BL76
2012 DR30
2013 AZ60
List of Solar System objects by greatest aphelion
Notes
References
External links
Shefford Observatory - 2005 November notes: 2005 WC, 2005 VX3, 2005 WY3, 2005 WN3, 2005 WY, GS5BRH
2005 VX3 at the JPL Small-Body Database