Rare Distant Object Found Moving in Sync with Neptune

An international team of Astronomers has discovered a rare, distant object far beyond Neptune that's moving in rhythm with the giant planet. The object, named 2020 VN40, is part of a group called trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) - minor planets that are typically bodies of rock and ice that orbit the Sun beyond Neptune. It's the first confirmed object that completes one full orbit around the Sun for every ten orbits Neptune makes.

This discovery provides scientists with new insights into how objects in the outer Solar System behave and how they got there. It also supports the idea that Neptune's gravity can temporarily 'catch' objects as they pass by.

The discovery comes from the LiDO (Large Inclination Distant Objects) survey, which searches for unusual objects in the outer Solar System. The survey uses the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) for the main survey operations, as well as additional observations from Gemini Observatory and the Magellan Baade Telescope, which help to track especially exciting discoveries like this one.

2020 VN40 orbits the Sun at an average distance about 140 times farther than Earth, following one of those extreme, tilted paths. What makes this object even more interesting is how it lines up with Neptune's orbit. Usually, when objects orbit in a simple pattern with Neptune like one orbit for every ten of Neptune's, they stay far away from Neptune when they're closest to the Sun. But 2020 VN40 appears to come close to Neptune when it's near the Sun, at least when viewed from above the Solar System.

The discovery shows that highly tilted orbits can create new, unexpected patterns of movement. The LiDO survey has already found over 140 distant objects, and with powerful new telescopes like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory coming online, astronomers expect to find many more.

According to the source: Education News Canada.