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Artist’s View of Kuiper Belt Object 1998 WW31
About the Object
- DistanceDistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.Distance from the Sun: The binary object has a semi-major axis of ~ 45 astronomical units (6.7 x 109 km or 4.2 x 109 miles). Distance from Earth: During the time of the HST observations (July 2001- February 2002) the binary system was ~ 46.5 astronomical units from the Earth. Distance between objects: The semi-major axis of the components of the binary system is ~ 22,300 km (13,900 miles). The eccentricity of the orbit makes this physical distance vary between 4,000 and 40,000 km (2,500 and 25,000 miles). Orbit: The binary objects have an orbital period about each other of ~ 570 days. The system orbits the Sun every 300 years.
- DimensionsDimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.The HST image is roughly 7 arcseconds (roughly 226,000 km or 141,000 miles) across. The binary objects are estimated to be roughly 150 km and 130 km in diameter. Total Mass: The binary objects have a total mass of 0.00021 that of Pluto.
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.1998 WW31
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.Kuiper Belt Object
- Release DateApril 17, 2002
- Science ReleaseHubble Hunts Down Binary Objects at the Fringe of Our Solar System
- CreditNASA and G. Bacon (Space Telescope Science Institute)
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Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
