(202421) 2005 UQ513

(202421) 2005 UQ513
The orbit of 2005 UQ513
Discovery[1]
Discovered byM. E. Brown
D. L. Rabinowitz
C. A. Trujillo
Discovery date21 October 2005[2]
Designations
classical (MPC)[3]
ScatExt (DES)[4]
Orbital characteristics(Barycentric)[a][5][6]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 3
Observation arc8474 days (23.20 yr)
Earliest precovery date15 September 1990
Aphelion49.582 AU (7.4174 Tm) (Q)
Perihelion36.844 AU (5.5118 Tm) (q)
43.213 AU (6.4646 Tm) (a)
Eccentricity0.14738 (e)
284.08 yr (103758.7 d)
226.72° (M)
0° 0m 12.496s / day (n)
Inclination25.7046° (i)
307.5957° (Ω)
≈ 30 July 2123[7]
±3 days
223.01° (ω)
Known satellites0
Earth MOID35.763 AU (5.3501 Tm)
Jupiter MOID31.568 AU (4.7225 Tm)
TJupiter5.253
Physical characteristics
Dimensions498+63
−75 km[8]: 18 
7.03 h (0.293 d)[9][10]
7.03 hr[9][10][2]
0.202+0.084
−0.049[8]: 18 
18.1 ± 2.0%/0.1 μm (Spectral slope)[11]
20.8[12]
3.91[2]

(202421) 2005 UQ513 is a large classical Kuiper belt object located in the trans-Neptunian region of the Solar System.[3][5] It was discovered on 21 August 2005 by American astronomers Mike Brown, David Rabinowitz, and Chad Trujillo at the Palomar Observatory in California.[3]

Thermal observations by the Herschel Space Telescope estimate its diameter to be 498+63
−75 km,[8]: 9  which makes it among the top 34 largest known trans-Neptunian objects.[13] It has a highly reflective geometric albedo of 0.202+0.084
−0.049,[8] which is higher than average for typical hot classical Kuiper belt objects.[8]: 12  2005 UQ513 completes one rotation relatively quickly every 7.03 hours.[8] Visible spectroscopy observations show that 2005 UQ513 has a featureless spectrum with no detected absorption bands.[11] However, its surface is very red due to a spectral slope of 18.1 ± 2.0%/100 nm,[11] indicating a surface rich in complex organics.[11] Models classify its orbit as dynamically stable over a period of 1 billion years.[13] The Hubble Space Telescope is scheduled to observe the object in 2026 to search for potential moons.[14] If a moon is found, it will allow scientists to directly calculate the mass and density of 2005 UQ513.[15]: 1, 3 

History

Discovery

The 1.2-meter Samuel Oschin telescope that was used to discover 2005 UQ513 at Palomar Observatory

2005 UQ513 was discovered on 21 October 2005 by American astronomers Mike Brown, David Rabinowitz and Chad Trujillo at the Palomar Observatory[b] in California, United States.[1] At the time, they were searching for distant trans-Neptunian objects using the observatory's 1.2-meter Samuel Oschin telescope.[1] It has been observed 750 times over 28 oppositions with precovery images back to 1990.[16][2]

Further observations

Following its discovery, 2005 UQ513 was tracked by multiple stations, including the Apache Point-Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Purple Mountain Observatory, and Pic du Midi Observatory.[16] As of 2026, the object has been observed 750 times over an observation arc of 13,112 days.[16] 2005 UQ513 is scheduled for observation with the Hubble Space Telescope in 2026;[14] if those observations discover a moon, they could lead to a measurement of the mass and density of 2005 UQ513.[15]: 1, 3 

Provisional designation and numbering

The object was formally given the provisional designation 2005 UQ513 by the Minor Planet Center on 1 September 2007.[17] The provisional designation of 2005 UQ513 indicates its discovery date, the first letter represents the second half of October and the second letter and numbers means that it is the 12,842nd object discovered during that half-month.[18][c] 2005 UQ513 was assigned its permanent number 202421 in December 2008.[19]

Orbit and classification

The orbit of 2005 UQ513

2005 UQ513 is a trans-Neptunian object that orbits the Sun at a distance of 36.8–49.6 AU with an semi-major axis or average orbital distance of 43.2 AU once every 284.1 years[5] (for reference, Neptune's orbit is at 30 AU).[20][a] Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.15 and an inclination of 25.7° with respect to the ecliptic.[5][a] As of December 2018, it is currently 48.0 AU from the Sun.[12] It will come to perihelion in 2123.[7]

2005 UQ513 is located in the classical region of the Kuiper belt 39–48 AU from the Sun, and is classified as a classical Kuiper belt object (also known as a "cubewano").[3] The high orbital inclination (25.7°) of it makes it a dynamically "hot" member of the classical Kuiper belt.[22] The Minor Planet Center (MPC) also classifies it as a classical Kuiper belt object (cubewano)[3] The Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES) classifies it as ScatExt (scattered-extended).[4] Dynamically, it would have been a good candidate to be a member of the Haumea collisional family. However, given its red spectrum, it is probably not.[11][23]

Orbital stability

In a 2021 study, scientists analyzed the orbital stability of 2005 UQ513 over a period of 1 billion years.[13] Models calculated a diffusion time of 67.717 billion years, predicting its orbit to be very stable.[13] In the full 1 billion year simulation, 199 out of 200 tracked test particles maintained regular orbits, leading that study to classify 2005 UQ513 as dynamically stable.[13]

Physical characteristics

Size, Mass and density

The second biggest asteroid, 4 Vesta and 2005 UQ513's size and true color comparison.

A 2014 study based on thermal wavelengths have measured 2005 UQ513's size to be at 498+63
−75 km in diameter,[8]: 18  making it approximately ⁵/9 the size of the dwarf planet Sedna.[d] 2005 UQ513 is a very large trans-Neptunian object and is among the top 34 largest known TNOs.[13]: 2  2005 UQ513 is not known to have any natural satellites or moons, which means there is currently no way to measure its mass and density.[15]: 1, 3 

2005 UQ513's size is large enough that Mike Brown classify it as a possible dwarf planet, putting it in the 'very likely' zone.[25] Based on its size of approximately 498+63
−75 km,[8]: 18  it belongs to the proposed class of "mid-sized" TNOs between 400 and 1,000 km (250 and 620 mi) in diameter, which are believed to represent the transition between small, low-density TNOs and large, high-density dwarf planets.[26][27]: 1  Planetary scientists have hypothesized that mid-sized TNOs should have highly porous and unheated interiors, because TNOs in this size range (such as Uni and Gǃkúnǁʼhòmdímà) have been found to have low densities around 1 g/cm3.[26]

Surface

Composition, spectrum and color

The Visible Spectra normalized to unity at 0.55 µm for the trans-Neptunian objects in the 2008 Pinilla Anloso paper with (24835) 1995 SM55, 120347 Salacia, (120178) 2003 OP32 and (416400) 2003 UZ117, [11] 2005 UQ513 is located the second from top.[11]

Spectroscopy observations show that 2005 UQ513 has a featureless spectrum with no detected absorption bands.[11] The surface is very red, displaying a spectral slope of 18.1 ± 2.0%/100 nm,[11] which makes it likely too red to be in the Haumea family.[11] These measurements indicate that the surface contains a decent amount of processed materials composed of complex organics.[11]

Albedo, brightness and visibility from Earth

2005 UQ513 has a visual absolute magnitude (Hv) of 3.91 according to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory,[2] which was later refined to 3.87±0.14 by the Herschel survey.[8]: 4  This brightness is similar to that of Varda.[e][28] Thermal observations by the Herschel Space Telescope show that the object has a geometric albedo of 0.202+0.084
−0.049.[8]: 12  This albedo value is higher than the average for typical hot classical Kuiper belt objects.[8]: 12  However, due to its very far distance from Earth, it has a dim apparent magnitude of 20.8 when viewed from Earth.[12]

Rotation

2005 UQ513 has a relatively fast rotation period of 7.03 hours,[9][10][2] with its brightness varying by 0.06±0.02 magnitudes during each rotation, indicative of an approximate spheridal shape.[9] For comparison, such rotation period is similar to the large plutino 208996 Achlys.[29][f]

Origin

The hot classical Kuiper belt objects like 2005 UQ513 are believed to have been scattered by Neptune's gravitational influence during the Solar System's early history.[30]: 230  2005 UQ513's orbital position matches with the group very well,[11] hence, it was considered a candidate for the Haumea family.[11] However, 2005 UQ513 has a red surface spectrum and not a water-ice surface,[11][23] making 2005 UQ513 likely an interloper that did not originate from the Haumea family impact.[11][23]

Exploration concepts

2005 UQ513 has not been visited by any spacecraft.[31] A 2019 study on flyby mission opportunities between 2025 and 2040 calculated hypothetical trajectories to TNOs with H brighter than 4.0 including 2005 UQ513 using planetary gravity assists.[31] A trajectory using a Saturn swingby has a launch window from 2025 to 2029,[31] with a minimum travel time of 12.5 years.[31] Trajectories using a Jupiter swingby have launch windows between 2031 and 2034,[31] with a shorter flight duration of 10.4 years.[31] Other than that, a combined Jupiter and Neptune swingby pathway makes launch options from 2032 to 2034,[31] requiring a longer travel time of at least 23.4 years.[31]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 These orbital elements are expressed in terms of the Solar System Barycenter (SSB) as the frame of reference.[5] Due to planetary perturbations, the Sun revolves around the SSB at non-negligible distances, so heliocentric-frame orbital elements and distances (such as those given in JPL's Small-Body Database[2]) can vary on short timescales.[21]
  2. ↑ The discoverer is labeled "Palomar" by the MPC.[1]
  3. ↑ The second letter 'Q' indicates that it is the 17th object discovered on the 514th cycle of discoveries. Each completed cycle consists of 25 letters representing discoveries, hence 17 + (513 completed cycles × 25 letters) = 12,842.[18]
  4. ↑ Sedna has a diameter of 906 km (563 mi).[24] ⁵/9 of Sedna's diameter is 503.3 km (312.7 mi), which is roughly around 2005 UQ513's size.
  5. ↑ Varda itself has a visual absolute magnitude of 3.81±0.01,[28] which is very similar to 2005 UQ513's 3.87±0.14[8]: 4 
  6. ↑ Achlys has a rotation period of 6.7874 hours.[29]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Brown, M.; Trujillo, C.; Rabinowitz, D.; Marsden, B. G. (2007). "2003 UY413, 2003 UZ413, 2004 NT33, 2005 CA79, 2005 CB79, 2005 UQ513". Minor Planet Electronic Circulars. 2007-R02: R02. Bibcode:2007MPEC....R...02B.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2005 UQ513)" (2011-12-26 last obs., 12 opp). Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "MPEC 2010-S44 : DISTANT MINOR PLANETS (2010 OCT. 11.0 TT)". IAU Minor Planet Center. 25 September 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  4. 1 2 Marc W. Buie. "Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 202421" (2012/05/06 using 59 observations). SwRI (Space Science Department). Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "JPL/HORIZONS (202421) 2005 UQ513 (Barycentric)". JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 13 August 2026. Solution using the Solar System Barycenter. Ephemeris Type: Elements and Center: @0)
  6. ↑ "AstDyS (202421) 2005UQ513 Orbital information". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  7. 1 2 JPL Horizons Observer Location: @sun (Perihelion occurs when deldot changes from negative to positive. Uncertainty in time of perihelion is 3-sigma.)
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Vilenius, E.; et al. (April 2014). ""TNOs are Cool": A survey of the trans-Neptunian region. X. Analysis of classical Kuiper belt objects from Herschel and Spitzer observations". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 564: A35. arXiv:1403.6309. Bibcode:2014A&A...564A..35V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201322416.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Thirouin, A.; Ortiz, J. L.; Campo Bagatin, A.; Pravec, P.; Morales, N.; Hainaut, O.; Duffard, R. (August 2012). "Short-term variability of 10 trans-Neptunian objects". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 424 (4): 3156–3177. arXiv:1207.2044. Bibcode:2012MNRAS.424.3156T. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21477.x.
  10. 1 2 3 Hromakina, T.; Perna, D.; Belskaya, I.; Dotto, E.; Rossi, A.; Bisi, F. (2018). "Photometric observations of nine Transneptunian objects and Centaurs". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 474 (2): 2536–2543. doi:10.1093/mnras/stx2904. hal-02303975.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pinilla-Alonso, N.; Licandro, J.; Lorenzi, V. (October 2008). "Visible spectroscopy in the neighborhood of 2003 EL61". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 489 (1): 455–458. arXiv:0807.2670. Bibcode:2008A&A...489..455P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:200810226.
  12. 1 2 3 "AstDyS (202421) 2005UQ513 Ephemerides". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Muñoz-Gutiérrez, Marco A.; Peimbert, Antoni; Lehner, Matthew J.; Wang, Shiang-Yu (October 2021). "Long-term Dynamical Stability in the Outer Solar System. I. The Regular and Chaotic Evolution of the 34 Largest Trans-Neptunian Objects". The Astronomical Journal. 162 (4): 164. arXiv:2107.00240. Bibcode:2021AJ....162..164M. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ac1102. S2CID 235694711.
  14. 1 2 Proudfoot, Benjamin (August 2025). A search for the moons of mid-sized TNOs. Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (Report). HST Research Proposals. Space Telescope Science Institute. cycle 33, proposal 18010. Retrieved 17 August 2025 – via stsci.edu.
  15. 1 2 3 Grundy, W. M.; McKinnon, W. B.; Ammannito, E.; Aung, M.; Bellerose, J.; Brenker, F.; et al. (December 2009). Exploration Strategy for the Ice Dwarf Planets 2013-2022 (PDF). American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2009. Bibcode:2009AGUFM.P43D1471G. P43D-1471. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2025.
  16. 1 2 3 "IAU Minor Planet Center". minorplanetcenter.net. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  17. ↑ Gray, Bill. "MPECs for 2007". Project Pluto (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  18. 1 2 "How Are Minor Planets Named?". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "(202421) 2005 UQ513 Precovery Images". Andrew Lowe's Home Page. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  20. ↑ Yeomans, Donald K. "HORIZONS Web-Interface for Neptune Barycenter (Major Body=8)". JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System. Archived from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2014.—Select "Ephemeris Type: Orbital Elements", "Time Span: 2000-01-01 12:00 to 2000-01-02". ("Target Body: Neptune Barycenter" and "Center: Solar System Barycenter (@0)".)
  21. ↑ "JPL/HORIZONS (202421) 2005 UQ513 (Heliocentric)". JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 13 August 2026. Solution using the Sun. Ephemeris Type: Elements and Center: @sun)
  22. ↑ K. Noll; W. Grundy; D. Stephens; H. Levison; S. Kern (April 2008). "Evidence for two populations of classical transneptunian objects: The strong inclination dependence of classical binaries". Icarus. 194 (2): 758. arXiv:0711.1545. Bibcode:2008Icar..194..758N. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2007.10.022. S2CID 336950.
  23. 1 2 3 Snodgrass, C.; Carry, B.; Dumas, C.; Hainaut, O. (February 2010). "Characterisation of candidate members of (136108) Haumea's family". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 511: A72. arXiv:0912.3171. Bibcode:2010A&A...511A..72S. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913031.
  24. ↑ Lellouch, E.; Santos-Sanz, P.; Lacerda, P.; Mommert, M.; Duffard, R.; Ortiz, J. L.; Müller, T. G.; Fornasier, S.; Stansberry, J.; Kiss, Cs.; Vilenius, E.; Mueller, M.; Peixinho, N.; Moreno, R.; Groussin, O. (29 September 2013). ""TNOs are Cool": A survey of the trans-Neptunian region: IX. Thermal properties of Kuiper belt objects and Centaurs from combined Herschel and Spitzer observations". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 557: A60. Bibcode:2013A&A...557A..60L. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201322047. hdl:10316/80307. ISSN 0004-6361.
  25. ↑ Michael E. Brown (13 September 2019). "How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system?". California Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  26. 1 2 Grundy, W. M.; Noll, K. S.; Buie, M. W.; Benecchi, S. D.; Ragozzine, D.; Roe, H. G. (December 2019). "The Mutual Orbit, Mass, and Density of Transneptunian Binary Gǃkúnǁʼhòmdímà ((229762) 2007 UK126)" (PDF). Icarus. 334: 30–38. Bibcode:2019Icar..334...30G. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2018.12.037. S2CID 126574999. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  27. ↑ Sheppard, Scott; Fernandez, Yanga; Moullet, Arielle (6 September 2018). "The Albedos, Sizes, Colors and Satellites of Dwarf Planets Compared with Newly Measured Dwarf Planet 2013 FY27". The Astronomical Journal. 156 (6): 270. arXiv:1809.02184. Bibcode:2018AJ....156..270S. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aae92a. S2CID 119522310.
  28. 1 2 Souami, D.; Braga-Ribas, F.; Sicardy, B.; Morgado, B.; Ortiz, J. L.; Desmars, J.; et al. (August 2020). "A multi-chord stellar occultation by the large trans-Neptunian object (174567) Varda". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 643: A125. arXiv:2008.04818. Bibcode:2020A&A...643A.125S. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202038526. S2CID 221095753.
  29. 1 2 Santos-Sanz, P.; Lellouch, E.; Groussin, O.; Lacerda, P.; Muller, T.G.; Ortiz, J.L.; et al. (August 2017). ""TNOs are Cool": A survey of the trans-Neptunian region XII. Thermal light curves of Haumea, 2003 VS2 and 2003 AZ84 with Herschel/PACS". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 604 (A95). arXiv:1705.09117. Bibcode:2017A&A...604A..95S. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201630354. S2CID 53621071.
  30. ↑ Lykawka, Patryk Sofia; Tadashi, Mukai (July 2007). "Dynamical classification of trans-neptunian objects: Probing their origin, evolution, and interrelation". Icarus. 189 (1): 213–232. Bibcode:2007Icar..189..213L. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2007.01.001. S2CID 122671996.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Zangari, Amanda M.; Finley, Tiffany J.; Stern, S. Alan; Tapley, Mark B. (May 2019). "Return to the Kuiper Belt: Launch Opportunities from 2025 to 2040". Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets. 56 (3): 919–930. arXiv:1810.07811. Bibcode:2019JSpRo..56..919Z. doi:10.2514/1.A34329. S2CID 119033012.
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