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2018 AG37

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Not to be confused with Farout.

2018 AG37
Discovery [1][2]
Discovered byScott S. Sheppard
David J. Tholen
Chad Trujillo
Discovery siteMauna Kea Obs.
Discovery date15 January 2018
(first imaged)
Designations
2018 AG37
"FarFarOut" (nickname)[3]
SDO · TNO
distant [4][2]
Orbital characteristics [4]
Epoch 24 February 2019 (JD 2458538.5)
Uncertainty parameter 9
Observation arc2.03 yr (740 days)
Aphelion144.94±114.06 AU
Perihelion27.06±5.24 AU
86.00±67.68 AU
Eccentricity0.685±0.309
797.6±941.4 yr
117.87°±316.43°
0° 0m 4.45s / day
Inclination18.71°±0.19°
68.53°±0.81°
≈ 1758?
250.52°±83.33°
Physical characteristics
≈400 km (est.)[3]
25.3[1]
4.185±0.103[4]
4.22[2]

2018 AG37 (previously nicknamed FarFarOut) is a distant trans-Neptunian object that was discovered 132.2 ± 4.6 AU (19.78 ± 0.69 billion km) AU from the Sun,[5] further than any other known natural object in the Solar System.[3][6] Imaged in January 2018 during a search for the hypothetical Planet Nine,[7] the confirmation of this object was announced in a press release in February 2021 by astronomers Scott Sheppard, David Tholen, and Chad Trujillo. The object was nicknamed "FarFarOut" to emphasize its distance from the Sun.[8]

At a very faint apparent magnitude of +25, only the largest telescopes in the world can observe it.[1] Being so far from the Sun, 2018 AG37 moves very slowly among the background stars and has only been observed 9 times over 2 years.[4] It may require an observation arc of several years to refine the uncertainties in the ~1000 year orbital period.

Distance

See also: List of Solar System objects most distant from the Sun

The object was initially estimated to be roughly 140 AU (21 billion km) from the Sun, but this estimate was uncertain due to the very short initial observation arc. As of 2021, it is the furthest observed member of the Solar System.[3] When it was announced in February 2021, 2018 AG37 had an observation arc of two years. Based on this, it was 132.2 ± 4.6 AU (19.78 ± 0.69 billion km) from the Sun at the time of its discovery on 15 January 2018.[5]

Many near-parabolic comets are much further from the Sun. Caesar's Comet (C/-43 K1) is calculated to be more than 800 AU (120 billion km) from the Sun.[9] Comet Donati (C/1858 L1) is 145 AU (22 billion km) from the Sun.[10] However, none of these more distant objects have been observed recently and are typically not counted when considering distant objects of the Solar System.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "MPEC 2021-C187 : 2018 AG37". Minor Planet Electronic Circular. Minor Planet Center. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "2018 AG37". Minor Planet Center. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "Solar System's Most Distant Known Member Confirmed". Carnegie Science. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2018 AG37)" (2020-01-25 last obs.). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  5. ^ a b "JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris for 2018 AG37". JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
    Ephemeris Type: VECTORS, Target Body: Asteroid (2018 AG37), Coordinate Origin: Sun (body center) [500@10], Time Span: Start=2018-01-15, Table Settings: quantities code=2p
  6. ^ "Voyager Mission Status". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  7. ^ Redd, Noah Taylor (7 March 2019). "New 'FarFarOut' World Is the Most Distant Solar System Object Known". Scientific American. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  8. ^ Davis, Nicola (25 February 2019). "'FarFarOut': Astronomer Finds Potential Furthest Object in Solar System". The Guardian.
  9. ^ "Horizon Online Ephemeris System for -43K1". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  10. ^ "JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris for Comet C/1858 L1 (Donati)". JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
    Observer Location: @sun
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