2004 UP10 facts for kids

(385571) Otrera is a special space rock called a Neptune Trojan. It was found by scientists Scott S. Sheppard and Chadwick A. Trujillo in 2004. Otrera is named after a powerful female warrior from ancient Greek stories.

Neptune Trojans are asteroids that share the same path around the Sun as the planet Neptune. They stay in a stable spot, either ahead of Neptune or behind it. Otrera is one of only a few Neptune Trojans we know about.

What is a Neptune Trojan?

A Neptune Trojan is an asteroid that orbits the Sun in a very special way. It follows the same path as the planet Neptune. These asteroids are "trapped" in certain areas because of Neptune's strong gravity.

Where do Neptune Trojans live?

Neptune Trojans hang out in stable places called Lagrangian points. Think of these as gravitational parking spots in space. For Neptune, there are two main spots where Trojans can stay safely.

• L4 point: This spot is about 60 degrees ahead of Neptune in its orbit. Otrera lives here.
• L5 point: This spot is about 60 degrees behind Neptune.

These points are like sweet spots where the gravity of the Sun and Neptune balance out. This allows the Trojans to stay in a stable orbit without crashing into Neptune or drifting away.

How many Neptune Trojans are there?

Scientists have found only a few Neptune Trojans so far. Besides Otrera, five others are known: 2001 QR₃₂₂, 2005 TN₅₃, 2005 TO₇₄, 2006 RJ₁₀₃ and 2007 RW₁₀. Finding more helps us learn about the early solar system.

Who discovered Otrera?

Otrera was discovered in 2004 by two famous astronomers. They are Scott S. Sheppard and Chadwick A. Trujillo. They used powerful telescopes to find this distant space rock. Their work helps us understand more about our solar system's hidden objects.

Why are Neptune Trojans important?

Neptune Trojans are like time capsules from the early days of our solar system. Scientists believe they are leftover pieces from when the planets were forming. Studying them can give us clues about:

• How planets like Neptune grew.
• What the solar system looked like billions of years ago.
• How asteroids and other small bodies moved around.

By studying Otrera and other Trojans, we can piece together the history of our cosmic neighborhood.