| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | CTIO |
| Discovery site | CTIO (first observed only) |
| Discovery date | 24 March 2014 |
| Designations | |
| 2014 FZ71 | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 6 | |
| Observation arc | 1.96 yr (716 d) |
| Aphelion | 95.791 AU |
| Perihelion | 55.849 AU |
| 75.820 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.2634 |
| 660.21 yr (241,142 d) | |
| 349.80° | |
| 0° 0m 5.4s / day | |
| Inclination | 25.506° |
| 306.01° | |
| 244.94° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 24.61[8] | |
| 6.9[1][2] | |
2014 FZ71 is atrans-Neptunian object, ascattered disc classified as ascattered anddetached object, located in the outermost region of theSolar System. It was first observed on 24 March 2014, by a team led by American astronomerScott Sheppard at theCerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. With itsperihelion of almost 56 AU, it belongs to a small and poorly understood group of very distant objects with moderate eccentricities.[6][9] The object is not adwarf planet candidate as it only measures approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) in diameter.
2014 FZ71 was first observed on 24 March 2014 by a team of astronomers led by Scott Sheppard of theCarnegie Institution for Science as part of the survey for distant solar system objects beyond theKuiper Cliff using the new wide-field cameras on theSubaru and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) telescopes.[6]
2014 FZ71 orbits the Sun at a distance of 55.8–95.8 AU once every 660 years and 3 months (241,142 days;semi-major axis of 75.82 AU). Its orbit has a moderateeccentricity of 0.26 and aninclination of 26° with respect to theecliptic.[2]
The object belongs to the same orbital group as2004 XR190 ("Buffy"),2014 FC72,2015 FJ345 and2015 KQ174(also see diagram). With an orbital period of 660 years, it seems to beresonant trans-Neptunian objects in a 1:4resonance with Neptune, as are2003 LA7 and2011 UP411,[5] but with a lower eccentricity and therefore higherperihelion.
Considered ascattered anddetached object,[3][4][5]2014 FZ71 is particularly unusual as it has an unusually circular orbit for ascattered-disc object (SDO). Although it is thought that traditional scattered-disc objects have been ejected into their current orbits by gravitational interactions withNeptune, the low eccentricity of its orbit and the distance of its perihelion (SDOs generally have highly eccentric orbits and perihelia less than 38 AU) seems hard to reconcile with such celestial mechanics. This has led to some uncertainty as to the current theoretical understanding of the outerSolar System. The theories include close stellar passages,unseen planet/rogue planets/planetary embryos in the earlyKuiper belt, andresonance interaction with anoutward-migrating Neptune. TheKozai mechanism is capable of transferring orbital eccentricity to a higher inclination.[9]
2014 FZ71 has a diameter estimated between 125 and 185 kilometers,[6][7][5] roughly a quarter the size of2004 XR190 ("Buffy") which is estimated at 500 kilometres (310 mi), roughly a quarter the size ofPluto. It is therefore not adwarf planet candidate.[7]
