2014 FE72

2014 FE72
Diagram showing the highly eccentric orbit of 2014 FE72
Discovery
Discovered by
Discovery siteCerro Tololo Obs.
Discovery date26 March 2014
Designations
(E)SDO
ETNO
TNO
Distant object
Orbital characteristics(barycentric)
Epoch 21 January 2022 (JD 2459600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 3
Observation arc6.98 yr (2,549 days)
Aphelion5547.51 AU
Perihelion36.277 AU
2791.896 AU
Eccentricity0.9870
147522.1 yr
  • 0.125°
0° 0m 0.055s / day
Inclination
  • 20.599°
  • 336.770°
≈ 6 October 1965
±11 days
  • 134.425°
Earth MOID35.3259 AU
Physical characteristics
218 km
265 km
0.124 (assumed)
0.08 (assumed)
24.6
6.19
6.3

2014 FE72 is a trans-Neptunian object first observed on 26 March 2014, at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in La Serena, Chile. It was discovered by Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo, and was announced on 29 August 2016.

2014 FE72 is an extreme scattered disc object, whose orbit extends into the outer Oort cloud. It is one of the most distant objects in the Solar System by its aphelion (farthest point from the Sun), and on average. As a result, little is known about its physical characteristics. The diameter of 2014 FE72 is approximately 265 km under the assumption of a typical TNO albedo of 0.08, or 218 km assuming a typical SDO albedo of 0.124. Because of its extreme distance from the Earth, 2014 FE72 appears extremely faint with an apparent magnitude of 24.6.

History

Discovery

The 4.0-meter Víctor M. Blanco Telescope at Cerro Tololo Observatory, which houses the Dark Energy Camera (DECam).

2014 FE72 was first observed on 26 March 2014 at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. The observation was made by astronomers Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo using the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) on the 4-meter Víctor M. Blanco Telescope. This discovery was part of a large tracking survey for objects beyond Neptune and the Kuiper belt, conducted to find evidence for the predicted Planet Nine. The Minor Planet Center formally announced the discovery on 29 August 2016. Upon its announcement, the Carnegie Institution for Science identified 2014 FE72 as the first distant Oort cloud object found with an orbit entirely beyond Neptune.

Further observations

Following its first observation, the Minor Planet Center recorded 20 total observations tracking 2014 FE72. These observations spanned a 6.98 years, from 26 March 2014 to 18 March 2021. During 2014 and 2015, the object was tracked using the Magellan-Baade Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory and the Gemini South Telescope on Cerro Pachón. In May 2018, the Lowell Discovery Telescope captured more tracking data, observing 2014 FE72 at a faint r-band magnitude of 23.9. The final two observations were recorded on 18 March 2021 using the Dark Energy Camera.

Provisional designation

The object was formally given the provisional designation 2014 FE72 by the Minor Planet Center on 29 August 2016. The provisional designation of it indicates its discovery date, the first letter represents the second half of March and the second letter and numbers means that it is the 1805th object discovered during that half-month. The MPC will give a permanent minor planet number to 2014 FE72 once its orbit is well determined with multiple years of observations, which would make it eligible for formal naming. As of 2026, it does not have an official name.

Orbit

Orbits of 2014 FE72 (green, at lower left) and other scattered/detached objects, along with hypothetical Planet Nine on the right

Characteristics

2014 FE72 has an extremely elongated orbit with an eccentricity of 0.99. It has a perihelion of ~36.3 AU, a barycentric aphelion of ~5548 AU with an average orbital distance of 2792 AU, and an orbital period of around 147,500 years. Its orbit has an inclination of approximately 20.6° with respect to the ecliptic. Based on the barycentric orbital period, 2014 FE72 takes roughly 5 times longer than Sedna to orbit the Sun. These orbit values are the largest known for any Solar System body that is not a long-period comet. 2014 FE72 last passed through perihelion in late 1965. As of 2026, it is about 68 AU from the Sun.

Orbital classification

2014 FE72 is a member of the extreme scattered disc. It is one of a small number of detached objects with perihelion distances of 30 AU or more, and semi-major axes of 150 AU or more. 2014 FE72 is classified as an Outer Oort Cloud object. It is the first discovered object in this population to have a perihelion beyond the orbit of Neptune. Its orbit was likely shaped by past gravitational interactions with Neptune. However, due to its large orbit, its Orbital path is also affected by other forces such as the galactic tide. The longitude of perihelion of 2014 FE72 aligns with the orbital positioning that is seen in other extreme trans-Neptunian objects. Its average orbital distance is noted as one of the largest among known trans-Neptunian objects. Unlike detached sednoids, it is classified as a scattered object because its lower perihelion allows Neptune's gravity to change its orbit over time.

Orbital stability

Simulations show that if other forces push its perihelion below 35 AU, strong gravitational interactions with the outer planets will cause its orbit to become highly unstable. Clustering models group 2014 FE72 into a population alongside 541132 Leleakuhonua, 2013 SY99, and 2015 KG163, which might be related to the inner Oort cloud. The unique orbital shape and spacial alignment of 2014 FE72 are studied to explain the structure of the outer Solar System. Its orbital clustering is discussed in models studying the influence of a distant massive mini Neptune, known as Planet Nine.

Physical characteristics

2014 FE72 compared to 4 Vesta

Little is known about 2014 FE72's physical properties. Its diameter has not been directly measured. Michael E. Brown estimated a diameter of 265 km for a typical TNO geometric albedo of 0.08 on his list. Johnston's archive estimated a diameter of 218 km under the assumption of a typical scattered disc object albedo of 0.124. The absolute magnitude of the object is approximately 6.19. Because of its extreme distance from the Earth, 2014 FE72 appears extremely faint with an apparent magnitude of 24.6, which is only visible to the largest telescopes in the world. 2014 FE72 is not known to have any natural satellites or moons, which means there is currently no way to measure its mass and density.: 4 

American astronomer Michael Brown considers 2014 FE72 to possibly be a dwarf planet. However, a planetary study by William M. Grundy suggests that trans-Neptunian objects in the 400–1000 km size range form a transition zone between small, low-density bodies and large, dense dwarf planets. Since 2014 FE72 has an estimated diameter of only 218–265 km, it falls below this transition zone.

Origin and future

Simulations using Modified Newtonian Dynamics study the origin of 2014 FE72 without Planet Nine. In that model, 2014 FE72 experiences highly chaotic orbital changes because of the close encounters with the outer planets. Simulations of 2014 FE72 show that around 75 million years ago, it was located inside the outer planet region. Many close approaches with the outer planets then scattered the object outward, allowing its orbit to grow to its current extreme orbit around 25 million years ago. Future simulations of its orbital path show that after more planetary encounters and gravitational cycles, its average orbital distance will continue to grow over the next 100 million years. Under this scenario, the external field effect from the galaxy finally helps detach the object from the direct gravitational control of the planets and the Sun.

Visualizations

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 These orbital elements are expressed in terms of the Solar System Barycenter (SSB) as the frame of reference. Due to planetary perturbations, the Sun revolves around the SSB at non-negligible distances, so heliocentric-frame orbital elements and distances (such as those given in JPL's Small-Body Database) can vary on short timescales.
  2. ↑ under the assumption of an albedo of 0.124
  3. ↑ under the assumption of an albedo of 0.08
  4. ↑ The second letter 'E' indicates that it is the 5th object discovered on the 19th cycle of discoveries. Each completed cycle consists of 25 letters representing discoveries, hence 5 + (72 completed cycles × 25 letters) = 1805.
  5. ↑ 2017 MB7, an apparently much smaller object (absolute magnitude ~14) which might be an extinct comet, has a similar barycentric aphelion of ~3400 AU and an orbital period of ~72,000 years.
  6. ↑ Albedo means reflectivity

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Williams, G. V. (29 August 2016). "MPEC 2016-Q43 : 2014 FE72". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Johnston, Wm. Robert (7 October 2018). "List of Known Trans-Neptunian Objects". Johnston's Archive. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  3. 1 2 "List Of Centaurs and Scattered-Disk Objects". Minor Planet Center. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2014 FE72)" (2021-03-18 last obs). Jet Propulsion Lab. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "2014 FE72". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Horizons. "JPL Horizons: Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for 2014 FE72". Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  7. ↑ "JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris for 2014 FE72". JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 31 July 2026. Solution using the Sun. Ephemeris Type: Elements and Center: @sun)
  8. ↑ JPL Horizons Observer Location: @sun (Perihelion occurs when deldot changes from negative to positive. Uncertainty in time of perihelion is 3-sigma.)
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Michael E. Brown. "How many dwarf planets are there in the outer solar system? (updates daily)". California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Absolute magnitude (H)". Near Earth Object Program. NASA/Jet Propulsion Lab. Archived from the original on 2 March 2001. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "AstDyS 2014FE72 Ephemerides". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy. Retrieved 31 October 2023. (Distance to Sun [R] from 2023 to 2028.)
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Hunt for ninth planet reveals new extremely distant Solar System objects". CarnegieScience.edu. Carnegie Institution. 29 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sheppard, Scott S.; Trujillo, Chadwick (1 December 2016). "New Extreme Trans-Neptunian Objects: Toward a Super-Earth in the Outer Solar System". The Astronomical Journal. 152 (6): 221. arXiv:1608.08772. Bibcode:2016AJ....152..221S. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/152/6/221. ISSN 0004-6256.
  14. ↑ Gray, Bill. "MPECs for 2016". Project Pluto (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  15. 1 2 3 "How Are Minor Planets Named?". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  16. ↑ Horizons. "JPL Horizons: Barycentric Osculating Orbital Elements for (90377) Sedna". Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  17. ↑ JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2017 MB7)
  18. ↑ minorplanetcenter.net: q>30, a>150
  19. 1 2 3 Sheppard, Scott S.; Trujillo, Chadwick A.; Tholen, David J.; Kaib, Nathan (1 April 2019). "A New High Perihelion Trans-Plutonian Inner Oort Cloud Object: 2015 TG387". The Astronomical Journal. 157 (4): 139. arXiv:1810.00013. Bibcode:2019AJ....157..139S. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ab0895. ISSN 0004-6256.
  20. ↑ Hu, Qingru; Huang, Yukun; Gladman, Brett; Zhu, Wei (22 May 2025). "Early Stellar Flybys are Unlikely: Improved Constraints from Sednoids and Large- q Trans-Neptunian Objects". The Astrophysical Journal. 993 (2): 238. arXiv:2505.16317. Bibcode:2025ApJ...993..238H. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ae0a30.
  21. 1 2 de la Fuente Marcos, C.; de la Fuente Marcos, R. (1 September 2021). "Peculiar orbits and asymmetries in extreme trans-Neptunian space". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 506 (1): 633–649. arXiv:2106.08369. doi:10.1093/mnras/stab1756. ISSN 0035-8711.
  22. ↑ Grundy, W. M.; McKinnon, W. B.; Ammannito, E.; Aung, M.; Bellerose, J.; Brenker, F.; et al. (December 2009). Exploration Strategy for the Ice Dwarf Planets 2013-2022 (PDF). American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2009. Bibcode:2009AGUFM.P43D1471G. P43D-1471. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2025.
  23. 1 2 Grundy, W. M.; Noll, K. S.; Buie, M. W.; Benecchi, S. D.; Ragozzine, D.; Roe, H. G. (December 2019). "The Mutual Orbit, Mass, and Density of Transneptunian Binary Gǃkúnǁʼhòmdímà ((229762) 2007 UK126)" (PDF). Icarus. 334: 30–38. Bibcode:2019Icar..334...30G. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2018.12.037. S2CID 126574999. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 Migaszewski, Cezary (1 October 2023). "On the origin of extreme trans-Neptunian objects within Modified Newtonian Dynamics". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 525 (1): 805–826. arXiv:2303.13339. doi:10.1093/mnras/stad2250. ISSN 0035-8711.
  25. ↑ Guarino, Ben (2 October 2018). "New dwarf planet spotted at the very fringe of our solar system". The Washington Post. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  26. ↑ Witze, Alexandra (26 March 2014). "Dwarf planet stretches Solar System's edge". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature.2014.14921. S2CID 124305879.