(15760) 1992 QB1
Encyclopedia
, also written 1992 QB1, was the first trans-Neptunian object
to be discovered after Pluto
and Charon
. It was discovered 1992 by David C. Jewitt
and Jane X. Luu at the Mauna Kea Observatory
, Hawaii
. It is now classed as a classical Kuiper belt object, and gave rise to the name cubewano for this kind of object, after the "QB1" portion of its designation
. Decoding its provisional designation
, "QB1" reveals that it was the 27th object found in the second half of August of that year. Over 1,000 further objects have been found beyond Neptune, of which a few dozen are classical Kuiper belt objects.
The discoverers suggested the name "Smiley" for the , but the name was already used for an asteroid 1613 Smiley
, named after an American astronomer. It has received the number 15760, and remains unnamed; it is normally referred to simply as "QB1", even though this is ambiguous without the year of discovery.
Trans-Neptunian object
A trans-Neptunian object is any minor planet in the Solar System that orbits the Sun at a greater distance on average than Neptune.The first trans-Neptunian object to be discovered was Pluto in 1930...
to be discovered after Pluto
Pluto
Pluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
and Charon
Charon (moon)
Charon is the largest satellite of the dwarf planet Pluto. It was discovered in 1978 at the United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station. Following the 2005 discovery of two other natural satellites of Pluto , Charon may also be referred to as Pluto I...
. It was discovered 1992 by David C. Jewitt
David C. Jewitt
David C. Jewitt is a professor of astronomy formerly at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy, now at UCLA. He was born in 1958 in England, and is a 1979 graduate of the University of London. Jewitt received an M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in astronomy at the California Institute of Technology in...
and Jane X. Luu at the Mauna Kea Observatory
Mauna Kea Observatory
The Observatories at Mauna Kea, , are an independent collection of astronomical research facilities located on the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawai'i, USA. The facilities are located in a special land use zone known as the "Astronomy Precinct," which is located in the Mauna Kea...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. It is now classed as a classical Kuiper belt object, and gave rise to the name cubewano for this kind of object, after the "QB1" portion of its designation
Provisional designation in astronomy
Provisional designation in astronomy is the naming convention applied to astronomical objects immediately following their discovery. The provisional designation is usually superseded by a permanent designation once a reliable orbit has been calculated...
. Decoding its provisional designation
Provisional designation in astronomy
Provisional designation in astronomy is the naming convention applied to astronomical objects immediately following their discovery. The provisional designation is usually superseded by a permanent designation once a reliable orbit has been calculated...
, "QB1" reveals that it was the 27th object found in the second half of August of that year. Over 1,000 further objects have been found beyond Neptune, of which a few dozen are classical Kuiper belt objects.
The discoverers suggested the name "Smiley" for the , but the name was already used for an asteroid 1613 Smiley
1613 Smiley
1613 Smiley is a main-belt asteroid discovered on September 16, 1950 by S. Arend at Uccle.- External links :*...
, named after an American astronomer. It has received the number 15760, and remains unnamed; it is normally referred to simply as "QB1", even though this is ambiguous without the year of discovery.
External links
- Orbital simulation from JPL at Nasa(Java)
- Ephemeris