38628 Huya facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
38628 Huya

Artist's impression of Huya
Discovery
Discovered by	Ignacio Ferrin
Discovery date	March 10, 2000
Designations
MPC designation	38628 Huya
Alternative names	2000 EB173
Minor planet category	TNO Plutino
Orbital characteristics
Epoch December 31, 2006 (JD 2454100.5)
Aphelion	7627.387 Gm (50.986 AU)
Perihelion	4269.292 Gm (28.538 AU)
Semi-major axis	5948.340 Gm (39.762 AU)
Eccentricity	0.282
Orbital period	91580.694 d (250.73 a)
Average orbital speed	4.63 km/s
Mean anomaly	348.506°
Inclination	15.463°
Longitude of ascending node	169.296°
Argument of perihelion	67.637°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	480±50 km 532±25 km
Mass	6.5×1019–1.8×1020 kg
Mean density	2.0? g/cm³
Surface gravity	0.12–0.15? m/s²
Escape velocity	0.23–0.28? km/s
Sidereal rotation period	? d
Albedo	0.11±0.02
Temperature	~44 K
Spectral type	(moderately red) B-V=1.00; V-R=0.65
Apparent magnitude	19.3 (opposition)
Absolute magnitude (H)	4.7
Angular diameter	0.024" (max)

38628 Huya, previously known by its provisional designation 2000 EB₁₇₃) is a trans-Neptunian object (TNO). It was found in March 2000 by Ignacio Ferrin and announced on October 24, 2000. It was given the name Huya, after Juyá, the Wayuu rain god, in August 2003 by the International Astronomical Union.

Size

At the time when it was found, Huya was the biggest and brightest TNO yet found. It was found using data collected by at the CIDA Observatory in Venezuela. Astronomers think it's about 530 km in diameter.

Surface

The object has a red-sloped reflectance spectrum, saying that the surface could be rich in organic material such as tholins.

Orbit

Given the long orbit that TNOs have around the sun, Huya comes to opposition in early May of each year at an apparent magnitude of 19.3.

The Solar System
Sun • Heliosphere	Planets ☾ = moon(s) ∅ = rings		Mercury	Venus	Earth ☾	Mars ☾
			Jupiter ☾ ∅	Saturn ☾ ∅	Uranus ☾ ∅	Neptune ☾ ∅
	Dwarf planets		Ceres	Pluto ☾	Haumea ☾	Makemake
			Eris ☾
	Small Solar System bodies	Asteroids (minor planets)	Groups and families: Vulcanoids · Near-Earth asteroids · Asteroid belt Jupiter Trojans · Centaurs · Neptune Trojans · Asteroid moons · Meteoroids · Pallas · Juno · Vesta · Hygiea · Interamnia · Europa
			See also the list of asteroids.
		Trans- Neptunians	Kuiper belt – Plutinos: Orcus · Ixion – Cubewanos: Varuna · Quaoar · Huya
			Scattered disc: Sedna
		Comets	Periodic comets and non-periodic comets Damocloids · Oort cloud
See also the list of solar system objects

Images for kids

• 

  Polar view of Huya's orbit around the Sun, with the outer planets' orbits shown for comparison.

• 

  Artist's rendition of Huya and its satellite. Huya is unlikely to be spherical according to Grundy et al., who propose that dark, mid-sized TNOs such as Huya are unlikely to be in hydrostatic equilibrium.

See also

In Spanish: (38628) Huya para niños