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TRANS-NEPTUNIAN ASTEROIDS
Trans-Neptunian asteroids (or asteroids of the Kuiper Belt) have orbits located 30 to 60 astronomical units from the Sun and are in resonance with the planet Neptune. We suspect more than 2937, of which only 616 are numbered at the present date (December 3, 2022). These objects are considered to be the last remnants of the formation of the solar system and are the source of some comets and Centaurs. We suspect that there are at least 100000 larger than 100km. The largest, Orcus and Quaoar, are more than 1000km in diameter.
These objects are particularly difficult to observe. Their visual magnitude from Earth is greater than 22 and their apparent motion is very slow (the orbital period around the Sun is of the order of several centuries). Their orbits are not yet sufficiently well known, many did not have a name or a serial number. One third of them are similar to Pluto: their motion is in resonance (3: 2) with Neptune (named the "plutinos").
| Number | Name | Size in km |
Distance from Sun in UA |
Period in years |
Inclination | Dates of discovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 134340 | Pluto | 2390 | 29.65/49.31 | 248 | 17° | 1930 |
| 15760 | 1992 QB1 | 165 | 40.90/47.70 | 294 | 2° | 1992 |
| 181708 | 1993 FW | 175 | 41.01/45.34 | 287 | 8° | 1993 |
| 385185 | 1993 RO | 107 | 31.49/47.66 | 248 | 4° | 1993 |
| 19308 | 1996 TO66 | 680 | 38.55/48.42 | 287 | 27° | 1996 |
| 47171 | 1999 TC36 | 365 | 31.53/46.46 | 243 | 8° | 1999 |
| - | 1999 XY143 | 235 | 43.25/43.25 | 301 | 6° | 1999 |
| 19521 | Chaos | 420 | 41.02/51.14 | 345 | 12° | 1998 |
| 20000 | Varuna | 810 | 40.96/45.62 | 300 | 17° | 2000 |
| 28978 | Ixion | 1020 | 29.69/48.93 | 235 | 20° | 2001 |
| - | 2002 FP7 | 235 | 31.85/47.05 | 255 | 9° | 2002 |
| 50000 | Quaoar | 1300 | 41.65/44.73 | 284 | 8° | 2002 |
| 90482 | 0rcus | 1400 | 30.78/48.06 | 247 | 21° | 2004 |
| - | 2005 TN74 | 105 | 25.22/34.80 | 164 | 3° | 2005 |
| (420356) Praamzius | 2012 BX85 | 210 | 42.8/43.0 | 170 | 1° | 2005 |