2005 TN53

mp|2005 TN|53 (also written 2005 TN53) is a Neptune Trojan discovered by Scott S. Sheppard and Chadwick A. Trujillo in 2005. Only five others are known: mpl|2001 QR|322, mpl|2004 UP|10, mpl|2005 TO|74, mpl|2006 RJ|103 and mpl|2007 VL|305. They have the same orbital period as Neptune and orbit at the L₄ Lagrangian point about 60 degrees ahead of Neptune.cite web
title=List Of Neptune Trojans
publisher=Minor Planet Center
url=http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/lists/NeptuneTrojans.html
accessdate=2008-05-08]

It has an inclination of 25 degrees.cite web
title=JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 2005 TN53
url=http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2005TN53
accessdate=2008-05-08]

With an absolute magnitude of 9.1, it is likely the smallest known Neptune trojan with a diameter in the range of 40 to 90 km.cite web
title=Absolute Magnitude (H)
url=http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/glossary/h.html
accessdate=2008-05-08]

It has been observed 23 times over 3 oppositions.

References

External links

* [http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2005TN53;orb=1;view=Far Orbital simulation] from JPL (Java) / [http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi?find_body=1&body_group=sb&sstr=2005TN53 Ephemeris]
* [http://www.dtm.ciw.edu/sheppard/trojans/ Three New "Trojan" Asteroids Found Sharing Neptune's Orbit] by Scott S. Sheppard (includes image of 2005 TN53)