Minorplanet: | yes |
1996 PW | |
Background: |
|
Discovered: | 9 August 1996 |
Mpc Name: | 1996 PW |
Epoch: | 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5) |
Uncertainty: | 2 |
Observation Arc: | 1.39 yr (506 d) |
Perihelion: | 2.4933 AU |
Semimajor: | 253.36 AU |
Eccentricity: | 0.9902 |
Period: | 4033 yr (1,473,017 d) |
Mean Motion: | / day |
Inclination: | 29.956° |
Asc Node: | 144.38° |
Arg Peri: | 181.60° |
Tisserand: | 1.7130 |
Mean Diameter: | (est. at 0.15) (est. at 0.04) |
Abs Magnitude: | 14.0 |
is an exceptionally eccentric trans-Neptunian object and a damocloid on an orbit typical of long-period comets but one that showed no sign of cometary activity around the time it was discovered. The unusual object measures approximately 10km (10miles) in diameter and has a rotation period of 35.4 hours and likely an elongated shape.
orbits the Sun at a distance of 2.5–504 AU once every 4,033 years (semi-major axis of 253 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.99 and an inclination of 30° with respect to the ecliptic.
Simulations indicate that it has most likely come from the Oort cloud, with a roughly equal probability of being an extinct comet and a rocky body that was originally scattered into the Oort cloud. The discovery of prompted theoretical research that suggests that roughly 1 to 2 percent of the Oort cloud objects are rocky.
was first observed on 9 August 1996 by the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) automated search camera on Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii. It is the first object that is not an active comet discovered on an orbit typical of long-period comets.
has a rotation period of hours and a double-peaked lightcurve with a high amplitude of magnitude . Its spectrum is moderately red and featureless, typical of D-type asteroids and bare comet nuclei. Its spectrum suggests an extinct comet. The upper limit on 's dust production is .