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Backward-orbiting asteroid discovered

Date: 08-Sep-08
Author: National Research Council of Canada

An international team of astronomers have spotted a surprising asteroid, whose unusual orbit may help explain where comets come from. The asteroid, currently named 2008 KV42, is orbiting the Sun backwards and almost perpendicular to the orbits of the planets.

This odd orbit suggests that 2008 KV42 may have been pulled into our Solar System from the Oort Cloud. Comets can originate in the Oort Cloud and this discovery may finally show how they transition from the Oort Cloud to become objects like Halley's Comet.

Retrograde orbit of 2008 KV42. Courtesy: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope

The orbits of asteroids in the region beyond Neptune's orbit provide important clues as to how the outer Solar System took form and evolved. Discoveries of new classes of objects have led to fresh insights into the early history of our solar system, challenging accepted theories.

This discovery was made using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in Hawaii, with follow-up observations provided by the MMT telescope in Arizona, the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) 4-metre telescope in Chile, and the Gemini South telescope, also in Chile. The discovery team consists of scientists in Canada, France, and the United States.

Full story: International Team of Astronomers Finds Missing Link

Related link:

• 2008 KV42 technical summary