Discovered by A. Gleason MPC designation 1995 SN55 Orbital period 114 years Absolute magnitude 6 | Discovery date September 20, 1995 Minor planet category Centaur Discovered 20 September 1995 Asteroid group Centaur | |
Aphelion 39.190 AU (5.8627 Tm) (Q) Perihelion 7.9400 AU (1.18781 Tm) (q) People also search for 2010 TY53, (455502) 2003 UZ413 | ||
1995 sn55
1995 SN55, also written as 1995 SN55, is a lost centaur with a perihelion greater than Jupiter and a semi-major axis that may be less than Neptune's. This object could be the largest known centaur.
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Size
If confirmed to be a centaur, 1995 SN55 would be one of the largest centaurs known. Centaurs typically have an albedo of about 0.08. With an absolute magnitude (H) of 6.0, and using an average centaur albedo of 0.08, 1995 SN55 could be 295 km in diameter. The two largest known centaurs are 10199 Chariklo (250 km, H=7.40, albedo = 0.035) and 2060 Chiron (220 km, H=6.2, albedo = 0.07).
Loss
1995 SN55 was about 39 AU from the Sun when it was discovered. It was only observed 14 times over 36 days from September 20, 1995, until October 26 the same year. Due to this short observation arc, the object has a very poorly known orbit and is considered lost. (See Lost comet or Lost asteroid.)
JPL shows this object having an aphelion distance of only 39.1 AU, whereas the Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES) shows it having an aphelion distance of 91 AU.