2004 KV18

The asteroid 2004 KV18 is the eighth confirmed Neptune Trojans of the planet Neptune. This is the term for asteroids that run on the Lagrange points of the orbit of Neptune around the sun. 2004 KV18 is attributable to the Lagrangian point L5. In this position, he runs the Neptune 60 ° behind. However, the web is not unlimited time stable.

Discovery and designation

2004 KV18 was discovered in the second half of the month of May 2004; identification as a Neptune Trojan was, however, until 2011.

Web properties

2004 KV18 orbits the sun on a prograde elliptical orbit between 3.671113 billion km ( 24.540 AU) and 5.355485 billion km ( 35.799 AU) distance from its center. The orbital eccentricity is 0.187, the orbit is tilted 13.597 degrees to the ecliptic.

The orbital period of 2004 KV18 is 165.71 years or 60,527 days, 7 hours, 41 minutes and 47 seconds.

2004 KV18 is so far the most unstable, short-lived Neptune Trojans and the first of its limited status is clearly confirmed as Neptune Trojans. It is believed that he is a former centaur, the front no more than 203,000 years, ie before - was a relatively short period of Uranus captured and forced to today's Trojan train - astronomically seen. The asteroid will oscillate for up to an additional 165,000 years to the L5 point, before being taken to a centaur train again. In 2004 KV18 it is not expected from a primodialen origin - in contrast to most of the known Jupiter Trojans, whose orbits are stable over billions of years.

Computer simulation study indicates are at all times 2.8% of the scattered population of the Centaurs within 6-34 Astronomical Units ( So the main influence of the three gas planet Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) co-orbital objects of Neptune. Of these, 54% are horseshoe orbits describe 10% should be quasi-satellite and 36 % Neptune Trojans, evenly distributed between the L4 and L5 points of the Sun - Neptune system. The study also assumes that 0.4 % of the Centaurs for Uranus co-orbital, which gives a value of 3.2% Centaurs Trojan for both ice giants.

Physical Properties

The diameter of 2004 KV18 is estimated at about 56.2 km.

Research

Since its discovery in 2004 to 2004 KV18 could predate on photos up to 25 May 2004 and calculate its orbit. The asteroid was previously observed on 25 May 2004 to 2 May 2006 to date a total of 20 times what an observation sheet of 708 days gave ( of Feb. 2014).