| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | LINEAR |
| Discovery site | Socorro, New Mexico |
| Discovery date | 13 November 1998 |
| Designations | |
| (101429) 1998 VF31 | |
| 1998 VF31 | |
Martian L5 ,Mars-crossing asteroid | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 7056 days (19.32 yr) |
| Aphelion | 1.6771808 AU (250.90268 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 1.3711043 AU (205.11428 Gm) |
| 1.5241426 AU (228.00849 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1004094 |
| 1.88yr (687.28d) | |
| 301.39501° | |
| 0° 31m 25.681s / day | |
| Inclination | 31.295943° |
| 221.31782° | |
| 310.56601° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 17.2h[1] | |
| S[2] | |
| 17.2[1] | |
(101429) 1998 VF31 (provisional designation1998 VF31) is a sub-kilometerasteroid that orbits nearMars'sL5Lagrangian point, on average trailing60° behind it. Its orbit is highly stable, and was originally thought to be spectroscopically similar to5261 Eureka, suggesting they may both be primordial Martian asteroids.[3]
Spectroscopic observations through 2007 indicate that it has a large proportion of metal andachondrites on its surface (either with or without amesosiderite contribution); which could also indicate that the surfaceregolith has undergonespace weathering. These observations also reveal differences in the spectra with 5261 Eureka, suggesting they may not be related to each other after all.[2]
