Objects Encyclopedia Entry 1781412965
Summary: The Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) 2000 EB173 is a small, icy celestial body located in the outer reaches of the Solar System, specifically within the Kuiper Belt, a region of icy bodies and other small celestial objects beyond the orbit of Neptune.
Overview
The Kuiper Belt is a vast, doughnut-shaped region of icy bodies, asteroids, and other small celestial objects that surrounds the Solar System. It is thought to be a reservoir of small, icy bodies that were left over from the formation of the Solar System. The Kuiper Belt is named after the Dutch-American astronomer Gerald Kuiper, who first proposed its existence in the 1950s. One of the most notable objects in the Kuiper Belt is the Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) 2000 EB173, which was discovered in 2000 by a team of astronomers led by Brian Marsden.
KBO 2000 EB173 is a small, icy world that is estimated to be about 100-200 kilometers in diameter. It is thought to be a dwarf planet, similar to Pluto, and is composed primarily of water ice mixed with darker organic material. KBO 2000 EB173 has a highly eccentric orbit, which takes it as close as 28 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun and as far as 48 AU from the Sun. One astronomical unit is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, which is about 149.6 million kilometers.
History/Background
The discovery of KBO 2000 EB173 was announced in 2000 by a team of astronomers from the Minor Planet Center. The object was discovered using a combination of ground-based telescopes and the Spacewatch survey, which is a program designed to detect and track small, faint objects in the Solar System. The discovery of KBO 2000 EB173 was significant because it provided further evidence for the existence of the Kuiper Belt, which was first proposed by Gerald Kuiper in the 1950s.
Key Information
KBO 2000 EB173 is a small, icy world that is estimated to be about 100-200 kilometers in diameter. It is thought to be a dwarf planet, similar to Pluto, and is composed primarily of water ice mixed with darker organic material. KBO 2000 EB173 has a highly eccentric orbit, which takes it as close as 28 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun and as far as 48 AU from the Sun. The object's orbit is also highly inclined, which means that it is tilted at an angle of about 40 degrees relative to the Earth's orbit around the Sun.
KBO 2000 EB173 has a surface temperature that is estimated to be around -233 degrees Celsius, which is much colder than the surface temperature of Pluto. The object's surface is also thought to be highly reflective, which suggests that it may have a surface composed of water ice mixed with darker organic material.
Significance
The discovery of KBO 2000 EB173 is significant because it provides further evidence for the existence of the Kuiper Belt, which is thought to be a reservoir of small, icy bodies that were left over from the formation of the Solar System. The discovery of KBO 2000 EB173 also highlights the importance of continued exploration and study of the Solar System, which can provide valuable insights into the formation and evolution of our cosmic neighborhood.
INFOBOX:
- Name: 2000 EB173
- Type: Kuiper Belt Object (KBO)
- Date: Discovered in 2000
- Location: Kuiper Belt
- Known For: Discovery of a small, icy world in the Kuiper Belt
TAGS: Kuiper Belt, Kuiper Belt Object (KBO), Dwarf Planet, Pluto, Solar System, Astronomy, Space Exploration, Minor Planet Center, Spacewatch
