Katana VentraIP

(300163) 2006 VW139

(300163) 2006 VW139 (provisional designation 2006 VW139, periodic comet designation 288P/2006 VW139) is a binary active asteroid and main-belt comet from the outer regions of the asteroid belt. The object was discovered by Spacewatch in 2006. Its binary nature was confirmed by the Hubble Space Telescope in September 2016.[5] Both primary and its minor-planet moon are similar in mass and size, making it a true binary system.[5] The components are estimated to measure 1.8 kilometers in diameter, orbiting each other at a wide separation of 104 kilometers every 135 days.[4][6][8]

Discovery[1][2]

15 November 2006

(300163) 2006 VW139

2006 VW139 · 288P[1]
P/2006 VW139[3]

16.31 yr (5,958 days)

3.6619 AU

2.4358 AU

3.0488 AU

0.2011

5.32 yr (1,944 days)

0° 11m 6.36s / day

3.2402°

1.8±0.2 km (derived)[6]
3.20 km (calculated)[4]

(6.15±4.85)×1012 kg[6][a]

0.057 (assumed)[4]

C (assumed)[4]

16.2[1][4] · 16.20±0.24[7]

Discovery[edit]

2006 VW139 was discovered on 15 November 2006, by the Spacewatch survey at Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona.[2] The possible cometary activity was seen in November 2011 by Pan-STARRS.[3] Both Spacewatch and Pan-STARRS are asteroid survey projects of NASA's Near Earth Object Observations Program. After the Pan-STARRS observations it was also given a comet designation of 288P.

Physical characteristics[edit]

Diameter, albedo, and mass[edit]

2006 VW139 has a derived diameter of 1.8±0.2 kilometer.[6] The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.057 and calculates a diameter of 3.20 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 16.2.[4] The binary system has an estimated mass between 1.3×1012 kg and 1.1×1013 kg.[5] A single component has a derived mass of (6.15±4.85)×1012 kg.[6]

Numbering and naming[edit]

This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 12 October 2011 (M.P.C. 76600).[10] As of 2020, it has not been named.[2]

Hubblesite, September 2017

Comet or Asteroid? Hubble Discovers that a Unique Object is a Binary

Robert Johnston, johnstonsarchive.net

Asteroids with Satellites

query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine)

Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB)

Google books

Dictionary of Minor Planet Names

– Observatoire de Genève, Raoul Behrend

Asteroids and comets rotation curves, CdR

– Minor Planet Center

Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (300001)-(305000)

(300163) 2006 VW139

Ephemeris

at the JPL Small-Body Database

(300163) 2006 VW139