(505624) 2014 GU53

(505624) 2014 GU53, provisional designation 2014 GU53, is a trans-Neptunian object and cubewano from the Kuiper belt, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was discovered on 8 April 2014, by astronomers with the Pan-STARRS survey at Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii, United States.[1] The classical Kuiper belt object belongs to the hot population and is a dwarf planet candidate, as it measures approximately 330 kilometers (210 miles) in diameter.

(505624) 2014 GU53
Discovery [1]
Discovered byPan-STARRS 1
Discovery siteHaleakalā Obs.
Discovery date8 April 2014
Designations
(505624) 2014 GU53
2014 GU53
TNO [2] · cubewano [3]
p-DP [4] · distant [1]
Orbital characteristics [2]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 3 · 2[1]
Observation arc5.34 yr (1,949 d)
Aphelion51.581 AU
Perihelion36.147 AU
43.864 AU
Eccentricity0.1759
290.52 yr (106,111 d)
323.10°
0° 0m 12.24s / day
Inclination23.485°
178.52°
115.98°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
315 km[4]
336 km[3]
0.08 (assumed)[4]
0.09 (assumed)[3]
5.6[1][2]

    Orbit and classification

    2014 GU53 orbits the Sun at a distance of 36.1–51.6 AU once every 290 years and 6 months (106,111 days; semi-major axis of 43.86 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.18 and an inclination of 23° with respect to the ecliptic.[2] It has an orbital uncertainty of 2–3.[1][2] The object's observation arc begins with a precovery taken by Pan-STARRS in April 2012, two years prior to its official discovery observation at Haleakala Observatory in April 2014.[1]

    2014 GU53 is a cubewano, a classical, low-eccentricity object in the Kuiper belt, located in between the two prominent resonant populations of the plutinos and twotinos. Due to its relatively high inclination, this cubewano belongs to the "stirred" hot population rather than to the larger cold population.

    Numbering and naming

    This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 4 November 2017 and received the number 505624 in the minor planet catalog (M.P.C. 107069).[5] As of 2018, it has not been named.[1]

    Physical characteristics

    According to the American astronomer Michael Brown, for an object to be considered as a "possible" dwarf planet, its diameter has to measure between 200 and 400 kilometers. With his estimated diameter of 315 kilometers, this object falls into this category, which is the one with the lowest certainty in Brown's 5-class taxonomic system used on his website.[4] Johnston's archive estimates a diameter 336 kilometers using an albedo of 0.09.[3] As of 2018, no spectral type and color indices, nor a rotational lightcurve have been obtained from spectroscopic and photometric observations. The body's color, rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown.[2][6]

    References
    1. "505624 (2014 GU53)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
    2. "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 505624 (2014 GU53)" (2017-08-25 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
    3. Johnston, Wm. Robert (7 October 2018). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
    4. Brown, Michael E. "How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system?". California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
    5. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
    6. "LCDB Data for (505624)". Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB). Retrieved 1 December 2018.

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