View source for Astronomy:(308933) 2006 SQ372

{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{mp|(308933) 2006 SQ|372}}}}
{{Infobox planet
 | minorplanet     = yes
 | name            = (308933) {{mp|2006 SQ|372}}
 | background      = #C2E0FF
 | image           = 308933-2006sq372 hst.jpg
 | image_size      = 250px
 | caption         = [[Astronomy:Hubble Space Telescope|Hubble Space Telescope]] image of {{mp|2006 SQ|372}} taken in 2009
 | discovery_ref   = &thinsp;<ref name="MPC-object" /><ref name="MPC-CEN-SDO-list" />
 | discoverer      = A. C. Becker<br />A. W. Puckett<br />J. Kubica
 | discovery_site  = APO
 | discovered      = 27 September 2006
 | mpc_name        = (308933) {{mp|2006 SQ|372}}
 | alt_names       = {{mp|2006 SQ|372}}
 | pronounced      = 
 | named_after     = <!--xafter<br />{{small|()}}<ref name="MPC-object" />-->

 | mp_category     = [[Astronomy:Trans-Neptunian object|TNO]]&thinsp;<ref name="jpldata" />{{·}}[[Astronomy:Centaur (minor planet)|centaur]]&thinsp;<ref name="MPC-CEN-SDO-list" /><ref name="Buie"/><ref name="johnstonsarchive-TNO-list" />{{·}}[[Astronomy:Distant minor planet|distant]]&thinsp;<ref name="MPC-object" />

 | orbit_ref       = &thinsp;<ref name="jpldata" />
 | epoch           = 23 March 2018 ([[Astronomy:Julian day|JD]] 2458200.5)
 | uncertainty     = 1
 | observation_arc = 9.86 yr (3,602 days)
 | aphelion        = {{Convert|1785.882|AU|Tm|abbr=on}}
 | perihelion      = {{Convert|24.1420436|AU|Tm|abbr=on}}
 | semimajor       = {{Convert|905.0119510|AU|Tm|abbr=on}}
 | eccentricity    = 0.9733241
 | period          = 27226 [[Astronomy:Julian year|yr]] 
 | mean_anomaly    = 0.1796[[Degree (angle)|°]]
 | mean_motion     = {{Deg2DMS|0.0000|sup=ms}} / day
 | inclination     = 19.496°
 | asc_node        = 197.34°
 | arg_peri        = 122.28°
 | neptune_moid    = {{Convert|1.4692|AU|Gm|abbr=on}}
 | mean_diameter   = 60–140 km<ref name="h"/><br />122 km<ref name="johnstonsarchive-TNO-list" /><br />124 km<ref name="Brown-dplist"/>
 | rotation        = 
 | albedo          = 0.08 {{small|(estimate)}}<ref name="Brown-dplist"/>
 | spectral_type   = [[Astronomy:Trans-Neptunian object#Colours|IR-RR]]&thinsp;<ref name="johnstonsarchive-TNO-list" /><br />B–R {{=}} 1.62<ref name="johnstonsarchive-TNO-list" />
 | abs_magnitude   = 7.8<ref name="jpldata" />{{·}}8.0<ref name="Brown-dplist"/>
}}

'''{{mp|(308933) 2006 SQ|372}}''' is a [[Astronomy:Trans-Neptunian object|trans-Neptunian object]] and highly eccentric [[Astronomy:Centaur (minor planet)|centaur]] on a [[Astronomy:Comet|comet]]ary-like orbit in the outer region of the [[Astronomy:Solar System|Solar System]], approximately {{convert|123|km|mi|abbr=off|sp=us}} in diameter. It was discovered through the [[Astronomy:Sloan Digital Sky Survey|Sloan Digital Sky Survey]] by astronomers Andrew Becker, Andrew Puckett and Jeremy Kubica on images first taken on 27 September 2006 (with [[Astronomy:Precovery|precovery]] images dated to 13 September 2005).<ref name="MPC-object" /><ref name="MPEC2007-A27"/><ref name="Centauri-Dreams" /><ref name="Newscientist" />

== Characteristics ==
[[File:308933 2006 SQ 372 Orbit.png|thumb|left|Diagram of the orbit of {{mp|2006 SQ|372}}]]
It has a highly [[Astronomy:Orbital eccentricity|eccentric orbit]], crossing that of [[Astronomy:Neptune|Neptune]] near [[Astronomy:Apsis|perihelion]] but bringing it more than 1,500&nbsp;[[Astronomy:Astronomical unit|AU]] from the Sun at [[Astronomy:Apsis|aphelion]].<ref name="Buie"/> It takes about 22,500 years to orbit the [[Physics:Center of mass#Barycenter in astrophysics and astronomy|barycenter]] of the Solar System.<ref name="Kaib2009"/> The large semi-major axis makes it similar to {{mpl-|87269|2000 OO|67}} and {{dp|Sedna}}.<ref name="Kaib2009"/> With an [[Astronomy:Absolute magnitude#Solar System bodies (H)|absolute magnitude (H)]] of 8.1,<ref name="jpldata"/> it is estimated to be about 60 to 140&nbsp;km in diameter.<ref name="h"/> [[Biography:Michael E. Brown|Michael Brown]] estimates that it has an [[Earth:Albedo#Astronomical albedo|albedo]] of 0.08 which would give a diameter of around 110&nbsp;km.<ref name="Brown-dplist"/>

The object could possibly be a [[Astronomy:Comet|comet]].<ref name="Kaib2009"/> The discoverers hypothesize that the object could come from the [[Astronomy:Hills cloud|Hills cloud]],<ref name="Kaib2009" /> but other scientists like [[Organization:California Institute of Technology|California Institute of Technology]]'s Michael Brown also consider other possibilities, including the theory "it may have formed from debris just beyond Neptune [in the [[Astronomy:Kuiper belt|Kuiper belt]]] and been 'kicked' into its distant orbit by a planet like Neptune or Uranus".<ref name="National-Geographic" />

== Perturbation ==

The orbit of {{mp|2006 SQ|372}} currently comes closer to Neptune than any of the other [[Astronomy:Giant planet|giant planet]]s.<ref name="MPC-object" /> More than half of the simulations of this object show that it gets too close to either [[Astronomy:Uranus|Uranus]] or [[Astronomy:Neptune|Neptune]] within the next 180 million years, sending it in a currently unknown direction.<ref name="unstable"/> This makes it difficult to classify this object as only a [[Astronomy:Centaur (minor planet)|centaur]] or a [[Astronomy:Scattered disc|scattered disc]] object. The [[Organization:Minor Planet Center|Minor Planet Center]], which officially catalogues all trans-Neptunian objects, lists centaurs and SDOs together.<ref name="MPC-CEN-SDO-list" /> (29981) 1999 TD<sub>10</sub> is another such object that blurs the two categories.<ref name="TD10" />

;Baricentric orbital elements:
* aphelion (Q) = 1570 [[Astronomy:Astronomical unit|AU]]<ref name=barycenter />{{ref_label|A|a|none}} (Heliocentric 2006 AU)
* semimajor =736.67 AU<ref name="Kaib2009" />{{ref_label|A|a|none}} (Heliocentric 1015 AU)
* period = 22,466 [[Astronomy:Julian year|yr]]<ref name="Kaib2009" />{{ref_label|A|a|none}} (Heliocentric 32,347 yr)

Given the extreme [[Astronomy:Orbital eccentricity|orbital eccentricity]] of this object, different [[Astronomy:Epoch|epochs]] can generate quite different heliocentric unperturbed [[Two-body problem|two-body]] [[Curve fitting|best-fit]] solutions to the aphelion distance (maximum distance) of this object.{{ref_label|B|b|none}} With a 2005 epoch the object had an approximate period of about 22,000 years with aphelion at 1557&nbsp;AU.<ref name="Buie"/> But using a 2011 epoch shows a period of about 32,000 years with aphelion at 2006&nbsp;AU.<ref name=jpldata/> For objects at such high eccentricity, the [[Astronomy:Sun|Sun]]'s barycentric coordinates are more stable than heliocentric coordinates.<ref name="Kaib2009"/> Using [[Astronomy:JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System|JPL Horizons]] with an observed orbital [[Arc (geometry)|arc]] of only 2.9 years, the barycentric orbital elements for epoch 2008-May-14 generate a semi-major axis of 796&nbsp;AU and a period of 22,466&nbsp;years.<ref name="Kaib2009"/>

== Comparison ==
[[File:Distant object orbits + Planet Nine.png|thumb|center|500px|The orbits of {{dp|Sedna}}, {{mpl|2012 VP|113}}, [[Astronomy:541132 Leleākūhonua|Leleākūhonua]], and other very distant objects along with the predicted orbit of Planet Nine. The three sednoids (pink) along with the red-colored extreme trans-Neptunian object (eTNO) orbits are suspected to be aligned with the hypothetical Planet Nine while the blue-colored eTNO orbits are anti-aligned. The highly elongated orbits colored brown include centaurs and damocloids with large aphelion distances over 200&nbsp;AU.]]
{{clear}}

== See also ==
* {{mpl|2007 TG|422}}
* {{LoMP|29981|{{mp|(29981) 1999 TD|10}}}}
* {{mpl|(87269) 2000 OO|67}}
* List of Solar System objects by greatest aphelion

== Notes ==
{{refbegin}}
<ol type="a">
<li>{{Note_label|A|a|none}} Solution using the Solar System [[Physics:Center of mass#Barycenter in astrophysics and astronomy|Barycenter]]</li>
<li>{{Note_label|B|b|none}} Read [[Astronomy:Osculating orbit|osculating orbit]] for more details about heliocentric unperturbed two-body solutions</li>
</ol>
{{refend}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="jpldata">{{cite web
  |type       = 2015-07-25 last obs.
  |title      = JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 308933 (2006 SQ372)
  |url        = https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2308933
  |publisher  = [[Organization:Jet Propulsion Laboratory|Jet Propulsion Laboratory]]
  |archive-url = https://archive.is/20121212084726/http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2006SQ372
  |archive-date= 12 December 2012
  |url-status=live
  |accessdate = 23 February 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="MPC-object">{{cite web
  |title      = 308933 (2006 SQ372)
  |work       = Minor Planet Center
  |url        = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=308933
  |accessdate = 23 February 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="MPC-CEN-SDO-list">{{cite web
  |title      = List Of Centaurs and Scattered-Disk Objects
  |work       = Minor Planet Center
  |url        = https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/lists/t_centaurs.html
  |accessdate = 23 February 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="MPEC2007-A27">{{cite web
  |date       = 2007-01-08
  |title      = MPEC 2007-A27 : 2006 SQ372
  |publisher  = IAU Minor Planet Center
  |url        = https://minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K07/K07A27.html
  |accessdate = 2011-05-26}}</ref>

<ref name="Buie">{{cite web
  |author=Marc W. Buie
  |type=2010-09-17 using 64 of 65 observations over 5.01 years
  |title=Orbit Fit and Astrometric record for 308933
  |publisher=SwRI (Space Science Department)
  |url=http://www.boulder.swri.edu/~buie/kbo/astrom/308933.html
  |accessdate=2008-09-05}}</ref>

<ref name=barycenter>{{cite web
 |date=2011-01-23 
 |author=[[Astronomy:JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System|Horizons]] output 
 |url=http://home.surewest.net/kheider/astro/2006SQ372Barycenter.txt 
 |title=Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for 2006 SQ372 
 |accessdate=2011-01-24 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225015302/http://home.surewest.net/kheider/astro/2006SQ372Barycenter.txt 
 |archive-date=2012-02-25 
}} ([http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi?find_body=1&body_group=sb&sstr=2006SQ372 Horizons])</ref>

<ref name="johnstonsarchive-TNO-list">{{cite web
  |title      = List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects
  |work       = Johnston's Archive
  |date       = 30 December 2017
  |last       = Johnston |first= Wm. Robert
  |url        = http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/tnoslist.html
  |accessdate = 23 February 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="Brown-dplist">{{cite web
  |title      = How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system?
  |publisher  = [[Organization:California Institute of Technology|California Institute of Technology]]
  |last       = Brown |first= Michael E.
  |url        = http://web.gps.caltech.edu/~mbrown/dps.html
  |accessdate = 23 February 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="h">{{cite web
  |title      = Asteroid Size Estimator
  |publisher  = CNEOS NASA/JPL
  |url        = https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/ast_size_est.html
  |accessdate = 23 February 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="unstable">{{cite web
 |date=25 August 2008
 |title=Sky survey yields new cosmic haul
 |publisher=BBC 
 |author=Dr Chris Lintott
 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7580539.stm
 |accessdate=2008-09-06
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906065424/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7580539.stm 
 |archive-date=6 September 2008
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref>

<ref name="TD10">{{cite web
 |date=1999-11-11
 |title=New Object in Solar System Defies Categories
 |publisher=Space.com
 |author=Kenneth Silber
 |url=http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/centaur_disc_991111.html
 |accessdate=2008-09-07
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050921034710/http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/centaur_disc_991111.html 
 |archive-date=2005-09-21
 }}</ref>

<ref name="Kaib2009">{{cite journal|display-authors=6|last=Kaib|first=Nathan A.|author2=Becker, Andrew C.|author3=Jones, R. Lynne|author4=Puckett, Andrew W.|author5=Bizyaev, Dmitry|author6=Dilday, Benjamin|author7=Frieman, Joshua A.|author8=Oravetz, Daniel J.|author9=Pan, Kaike|author10=Quinn, Thomas|author11=Schneider, Donald P.|author12=Watters, Shannon|date=2009|title=2006 SQ372: A Likely Long-Period Comet from the Inner Oort Cloud|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=695|issue=1|pages=268–275|arxiv=0901.1690|bibcode = 2009ApJ...695..268K |doi = 10.1088/0004-637X/695/1/268|s2cid=16987581}}</ref>

<ref name="National-Geographic">{{cite news|title=New "Minor Planet" Found in Solar System |work=National Geographic News |date=19 August 2008 |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/08/080819-new-planet.html |accessdate=2008-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821210844/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/08/080819-new-planet.html |archive-date=21 August 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="Centauri-Dreams">{{cite web |url=https://www.centauri-dreams.org/2008/08/18/an-icy-wanderer-from-the-oort-cloud/ |title=An Icy Wanderer from the Oort Cloud |author= Paul Gilster |publisher=centauri-dreams.org |date= 18 August 2008 |accessdate= 23 February 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="Newscientist">{{cite news|title=First object seen from solar system's inner Oort cloud |work=New Scientist |date=18 August 2008 |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14548-first-object-seen-from-solar-systems-inner-oort-cloud.html |accessdate=2008-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828031020/http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn14548-first-object-seen-from-solar-systems-inner-oort-cloud.html |archive-date=28 August 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

}} <!-- end of reflist -->

== External links ==
* {{Cite journal | title = MPEC 2007-A27: 2006 SQ372 | journal = Minor Planet Electronic Circulars | date = 2007-01-08 | url = http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/mpec/K07/K07A27.html}}
* {{JPL small body|id=308933}}

{{Minor planets navigator | |number=308933 |PageName={{mp|(308933) 2006 SQ|372}} | }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:2006 SQ372}}
[[Category:Trans-Neptunian objects]]

{{Sourceattribution|(308933) 2006 SQ372|1}}