2002 RN109

2002 RN109 is a trans-Neptunian object and damocloid on a highly eccentric, cometary-like orbit. It was first observed on 6 September 2002, by astronomers with the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research at the Lincoln Lab's ETS near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States.[1] The unusual object measures approximately 4 kilometers (2 miles) in diameter.[3] It has the second highest orbital eccentricity of any known minor planet, after 2005 VX3.[5]

2002 RN109
Discovery [1]
Discovered byLINEAR
Discovery siteLincoln Lab's ETS
Discovery date6 September 2002
Designations
2002 RN109
TNO [2] · damocloid [3]
unusual [4] · distant [1]
Orbital characteristics [2]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 4
Observation arc80 days
Aphelion1090.71 AU
Perihelion2.6915 AU
546.70 AU
Eccentricity0.9951
12,783 yr
0.4600°
0° 0m 0.36s / day
Inclination58.137°
170.50°
212.28°
TJupiter1.0820
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
4 km (est.)[3]
0.09 (assumed)[3]
15.3[1][2]

    Description

    2002 RN109 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. It orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.7–1,091 AU once every 12783 years (semi-major axis of 546.7 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.9951 and an inclination of 58° with respect to the ecliptic.[2] The body's observation arc begins with a precovery observation at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site on 16 August 2002, or three weeks prior to its first observation.[1] The observation arc only spans over 80 days. The object has not been observed since November 2002 about 2 months before it came to perihelion 2.7 AU from the Sun.[2] During perihelion passage the object was 2.9 AU from Earth.

    2002 RN109 belongs to the dynamical group of damocloids due to its low Tisserand parameter (TJupiter of 1.0820).[2] It is also a Jupiter-, Saturn-, Uranus-, and Neptune-crosser. The object has the seventh-largest heliocentric semi-major axis and aphelion of all known minor planets, while its extreme eccentricity brings it well within the orbit of Jupiter when at perihelion.

    See also

    References
    1. "2002 RN109". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
    2. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2002 RN109)" (2002-11-04 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
    3. Johnston, Wm. Robert (7 October 2018). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
    4. "List Of Other Unusual Objects". Minor Planet Center. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
    5. "JPL Small-Body Database Search Engine: Asteroids and a > 100 (AU)". JPL Solar System Dynamics. Retrieved 15 October 2014. (Epoch defined at will change every 6 months or so)

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