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A new dynamical class of object in the outer Solar System

Author

Listed:
  • Jane Luu

    (*Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

  • Brian G. Marsden

    (*Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

  • David Jewitt

    (†Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii)

  • Chadwick A. Trujillo

    (†Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii)

  • Carl W. Hergenrother

    (‡Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona)

  • Jun Chen

    (†Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii)

  • Warren B. Offutt

    (§W & B Observatory)

Abstract

Some three dozen objects have now been discovered1,2,3,4,5 beyond the orbit of Neptune and classified as members of the Kuiper belt—a remnant population of icy planetesimals that failed to be incorporated into planets. At still greater distances is believed to lie the Oort cloud—a massive population of cometary objects distributed approximately in a sphere of characteristic dimension 50,000au(ref. 6). Here we report the discovery of an object, 1996TL66, that appears to be representative of a population of scattered bodies located between the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud. 1996TL66has an orbital semimajor axis of 84au, and is in an extremely eccentric and highly inclined orbit (e = 0.58, i = 24°). With a red magnitude ∼20.9, it is the brightest trans-neptunian object yet found since Pluto and Charon. Its discovery suggests that the Kuiper belt extends substantially beyond the 30–50auregion sampled by previous surveys, and may contain much more mass than previously suspected.

Suggested Citation

  • Jane Luu & Brian G. Marsden & David Jewitt & Chadwick A. Trujillo & Carl W. Hergenrother & Jun Chen & Warren B. Offutt, 1997. "A new dynamical class of object in the outer Solar System," Nature, Nature, vol. 387(6633), pages 573-575, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:387:y:1997:i:6633:d:10.1038_42413
    DOI: 10.1038/42413
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