 Time-lapse video of2006 VW139 | |
| Discovery[1][2] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Spacewatch |
| Discovery site | Kitt Peak National Obs. |
| Discovery date | 15 November 2006 |
| Designations | |
| (300163)2006 VW139 | |
| 2006 VW139 · 288P[1] P/2006 VW139[3] | |
| main-belt[1][2] · (outer)[4] main-belt comet[3][5] | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 16.31 yr (5,958 days) |
| Aphelion | 3.6619AU |
| Perihelion | 2.4358 AU |
| 3.0488 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.2011 |
| 5.32yr (1,944 days) | |
| 55.529° | |
| 0° 11m 6.36s / day | |
| Inclination | 3.2402° |
| 83.187° | |
| 281.00° | |
| Knownsatellites | 1[5][6] |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 1.8±0.2 km(derived)[6] 3.20 km(calculated)[4] |
| Mass | (6.15±4.85)×1012 kg[6][a] |
| 0.057(assumed)[4] | |
| C(assumed)[4] | |
| 16.2[1][4] · 16.20±0.24[7] | |
(300163) 2006 VW139 (provisional designation2006 VW139,periodic comet designation288P/2006 VW139) is abinaryactive asteroid andmain-belt comet from the outer regions of theasteroid belt. The object was discovered bySpacewatch in 2006. Its binary nature was confirmed by theHubble Space Telescope in September 2016.[5] Both primary and itsminor-planet moon are similar in mass and size, making it a true binary system.[5] The components are estimated to measure 1.8 kilometers in diameter, orbiting each other at a wide separation of 104 kilometers every 135 days.[4][6][8]
2006 VW139 was discovered on 15 November 2006, by theSpacewatch survey atKitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona.[2] The possible cometary activity was seen in November 2011 byPan-STARRS.[3] Both Spacewatch and Pan-STARRS are asteroid survey projects of NASA's Near Earth Object Observations Program. After the Pan-STARRS observations it was also given acomet designation of288P.
2006 VW139 is a non-family asteroid of the main-belt'sbackground population.[9] It is both abinary asteroid and amain-belt comet, also known as "active asteroid". It orbits the Sun in theouter main-belt at a distance of 2.4–3.7 AU once every 5 years and 4 months (1,944 days;semi-major axis of 3.05 AU). Its orbit has aneccentricity of 0.20 and aninclination of 3° with respect to theecliptic.[1]
The body'sobservation arc begins in September 2000, with aprecovery taken by theSloan Digital Sky Survey atApache Point Observatory, New Mexico, more than six years prior to its official discovery observation by Spacewatch at Kitt Peak.[2]
2006 VW139 was first observed by theHubble Space Telescope (HST) in December 2011.[5] It was imaged by HST in September 2016, just before it made its closest approach to the Sun and confirmed its binary nature with two asteroids orbiting each other, and revealed ongoingcometary activity.[8] This makes the object the first known binary asteroid that is also classified as a main-belt comet.[8] The binary is thought to be the result of fission of the precursor caused byYORP-driven spinup.[5]
Observations of the HST revealed ongoing activity in this binary system. The combined features of this binary asteroid - wide separation, near-equal component size, high eccentricity orbit, and comet-like activity also make it unique among the few known binary asteroids that have a wide separation.[5][8]
2006 VW139 has a derived diameter of1.8±0.2 kilometer.[6] TheCollaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 3.20 kilometers based on anabsolute magnitude of 16.2.[4] The binary system has an estimated mass between1.3×1012 kg and1.1×1013 kg.[5] A single component has a derived mass of(6.15±4.85)×1012 kg.[6]
Thisminor planet was numbered by theMinor Planet Center on 12 October 2011 (M.P.C. 76600).[10] As of 2020, it has not been named.[2]
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