2008 KV42, technical summary

2008 KV42 was discovered in a joint Canada-France survey of high ecliptic latitudes for TNOS on high-inclination orbits, performed using the Megaprime mosaic at the CFHT telescope.


The object was detected in imaging acquired May 31, 2008 at 42 degrees above the ecliptic plane. At discovery a wide range of orbits were possible, although it was clear that it was one of the highest TNO inclinations known. A very difficult recovery by M. Ashby (CfA) from the MMT during full Moon June 23/2008 made it clear the orbit was retrograde and Director's Discretionary time from the Gemini-South telescope allowed the orbit to be stated with some precision and measure a previously-obtained low signal-to-noise observation from CTIO (4-m Blanco telescope).


Production of this orbit from known channels to produce Jupiter-Family comets seems very unlikely.


This object can be interestingly compared to 2002 XU93 (i=77, DES discovery) and 2006 SQ372 (i=20, SDSS discovery), all of whom interestingly have perihelia in the 20-25 AU range.


Details are available in Discovery of the First Retrograde Transneptunian Object, Gladman et al, 2009, ApJL, 697, L91.


RELATED INFORMATION.

Press Release Page

Minor Planet Electronic Circular 2008-O02:
IAUC 8960