2005 TN53 facts for kids
2005 TN53 is a space rock that might be a Neptune Trojan. It was found by two scientists, Scott S. Sheppard and Chadwick A. Trujillo, in 2005.
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What is a Neptune Trojan?
A Neptune Trojan is a special kind of asteroid. These asteroids share the same path around the Sun as the planet Neptune. They are like companions to Neptune.
Where do Neptune Trojans orbit?
Neptune Trojans orbit in very specific places called Lagrangian points. Imagine Neptune moving around the Sun. There are spots ahead of and behind Neptune where gravity from the Sun and Neptune balances out. This allows objects to stay in a stable orbit.
2005 TN53 and other Neptune Trojans orbit at the L4 Lagrangian point. This spot is about 60 degrees ahead of Neptune in its orbit. This means they travel around the Sun at the same speed as Neptune.
Other Known Neptune Trojans
Besides 2005 TN53, only a few other Neptune Trojans are known. These include:
Scientists are always looking for more of these interesting space objects. Finding them helps us learn more about how our Solar System formed.
How Was 2005 TN53 Discovered?
2005 TN53 was discovered in 2005. Scott S. Sheppard and Chadwick A. Trujillo are the astronomers who found it. They used powerful telescopes to scan the sky and spot new objects. Discovering new asteroids helps us map out our solar neighborhood.
