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From: Northern Arizona University > News
FEB 10, 2021
NAU astronomer on team confirming orbit of most distant object ever observed in our solar system
A team of astronomers, including associate professor Chad Trujillo of Northern Arizona University’s Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, have confirmed a planetoid that is almost four times farther from the Sun than Pluto, making it the most distant object observed in our solar system. The planetoid, which has been nicknamed “Farfarout,” was first detected in 2018, and the team has now collected enough observations to pin down its orbit. The Minor Planet Center has now given it the official designation of 2018 AG37.
Farfarout’s nickname distinguished it from the previous record holder “Farout,” found by the same team of astronomers in 2018. In addition to Trujillo, the discovery team includes Scott S. Sheppard of the Carnegie Institution for Science and David Tholen from the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy, who have an ongoing survey to map the outer solar system beyond Pluto. ...
Farfarout’s average distance from the Sun is 132 astronomical units (au); one au is the distance between the Earth and Sun. For comparison, Pluto is 39 au from the Sun. The newly discovered object has an elongated orbit that takes it out to 175 au at its most distant, and inside the orbit of Neptune, to around 27 au, when it is close to the Sun. ...
Read more at: NAU astronomer on team confirming orbit of most distant object ever observed in our solar system – NAU News
