55565 Aya

(55565) Aya, temporary name 2002 AW₁₉₇, is a classical trans-Neptunian object from the Kuiper belt. It has a diameter of at least 700 kilometers ( i. e 430 miles).^[1] It is the largest planetoid without a moon. It was discovered at Palomar Observatory in 2002. It has a rotation period of 8.8 hours.^[2]

Hubble Space Telescope image of Aya taken in 2006

Discovery

Aya was discovered on 10 January 2002, by astronomers at the Palomar Observatory in California.^[3] Astronomers involved in the discovery were Michael Brown, Chad Trujillo, Eleanor Helin, Michael Hicks, Kenneth Lawrence and Steven H. Pravdo.^[4]

Orbit

Aya orbits the Sun at a distance of 40.9–53.2 AU once every 322.6 years. Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.13. It has an orbital inclination of 24°.^[5]

References

↑ "Astronomer Mike Brown". web.gps.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
↑ "LCDB Data for (55565)". www.minorplanet.info. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
↑ "IAU Minor Planet Center". www.minorplanetcenter.net. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
↑ "MPEC 2002-O30 : 2002 AW197". minorplanetcenter.net. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
↑ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2020-12-05.

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[Astronomer_Mike_Brown-1] "Astronomer Mike Brown". web.gps.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2020-12-05.

[2] "LCDB Data for (55565)". www.minorplanet.info. Retrieved 2020-12-05.

[3] "IAU Minor Planet Center". www.minorplanetcenter.net. Retrieved 2020-12-05.

[4] "MPEC 2002-O30 : 2002 AW197". minorplanetcenter.net. Retrieved 2020-12-05.

[5] "JPL Small-Body Database Browser". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2020-12-05.

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