2014 PN70

2014 PN70
Discovery[1]
Discovered by Hubble Space Telescope
Discovery date August 6, 2014
Designations
MPC designation 2014 PN70
G12000JZ,[2] g1,[3] PT3[3]
Trans-Neptunian object (TNO)
Orbital characteristics[4]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 5
Observation arc 271 days
Aphelion 46.382 AU (6.9386 Tm)
Perihelion 41.926 AU (6.2720 Tm)
44.154 AU (6.6053 Tm),[4] 44.3 AU[5]
Eccentricity 0.050457,[4] 0.068[5]
293.40 yr (107166 d)
4.5±1.5 km/s
275.15°
0° 0m 12.093s / day
Inclination 4.12164°,[4] 2.8°[5]
136.26°
236.55°
Earth MOID 40.9271 AU (6.12261 Tm)
Jupiter MOID 36.9738 AU (5.53120 Tm)
Physical characteristics
Dimensions 35–55 km (22–34 mi)[2]
50–120 km (31–75 mi)[6]
30–55 km (19–34 mi)[7]
0.04–0.10[2]
0.04–0.15[7]
26.4[2]
10.3[4]

    2014 PN70 (formerly labeled g12000JZ in the context of the Hubble Space Telescope, and g1 and PT3 in the context of the New Horizons mission) is a Kuiper belt object (KBO) and was a proposed flyby target for the New Horizons probe.[3]

    Discovery and naming

    2014 PN70 was discovered during an observation campaign intended to search for KBO flyby targets for the New Horizons probe.[8] The observations started in June 2014, and more intensive ones continued in July and August.[9] They were conducted with the help of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST); 2014 PN70's magnitude of 26.4 is too faint to be observed by ground-based telescopes. 2014 PN70 was first discovered in observations on August 6, 2014, and it was designated g12000JZ at the time, nicknamed g1 for short.[3][7] Its existence as a potential target of the New Horizons probe was revealed by NASA in October 2014[10][11] and it was designated PT3; its official name, 2014 PN70, was not assigned by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) until March 2015 after better orbit information was available.[3]

    Characteristics

    2014 PN70, has a diameter between 35–120 km (22–75 mi).[2]

    Exploration

    Having completed its flyby of Pluto, the New Horizons space probe will be maneuvered to a flyby of at least one Kuiper belt object (KBO). Several potential targets were under consideration. 2014 PN70 (PT3) was considered a second choice after 2014 MU69 (PT1), because more fuel was required to carry out a flyby. 2014 OS393 (PT2) was already no longer under consideration as a potential target.[12]

    On 28 August 2015, the New Horizons team announced the selection of 2014 MU69 as the next flyby target.[13]

    References

    1. ↑ "2014 PN70". Minor Planet Center. 2014-10-22.
    2. 1 2 3 4 5 Lakdawalla, Emily (October 15, 2014). "Finally! New Horizons has a second target". Planetary Society blog. Planetary Society. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014.
    3. 1 2 3 4 5 Zangari, Amanda (March 28, 2015). "Postcards from Pluto". Tumblr.
    4. 1 2 3 4 5 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2014 PN70)" (2014-10-22 last obs; arc: 77 days). Retrieved 4 April 2016.
    5. 1 2 3 Stern, Alan (August 2015). "OPAG: We Did It!" (PDF). Presentation to the Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) of the Lunar and Planetary Institute. Universities Space Research Association. p. 33.
    6. ↑ "ABSOLUTE MAGNITUDE (H)". NASA.
    7. 1 2 3 Buie, Marc (October 15, 2014). "New Horizons HST KBO Search Results: Status Report" (PDF). Space Telescope Science Institute. p. 23.
    8. ↑ J. R. Spencer; M. W. Buie; et al. (2015). "The Successful Search for a Post-Pluto KBO Flyby Target for New Horizons Using the Hubble Space Telescope" (PDF). European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) Abstract. Copernicus Office.
    9. ↑ "Hubble to Proceed with Full Search for New Horizons Targets". HubbleSite news release. Space Telescope Science Institute. July 1, 2014.
    10. ↑ "NASA's Hubble Telescope Finds Potential Kuiper Belt Targets for New Horizons Pluto Mission". HubbleSite. 15 October 2014.
    11. ↑ Wall, Mike (October 15, 2014). "Hubble Telescope Spots Post-Pluto Targets for New Horizons Probe". Space.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014.
    12. ↑ Powell, Corey S. (March 29, 2015). "Alan Stern on Pluto's Wonders, New Horizons' Lost Twin, and That Whole "Dwarf Planet" Thing". Discover.
    13. ↑ Cofield, Calla (28 August 2015). "Beyond Pluto: 2nd Target Chosen for New Horizons Probe". Space.com.
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