341520 Mors–Somnus
Binary plutino system of twin Roman gods.
341520 Mors–Somnus (provisional designation 2007 TY430) is a binary system of plutinos, consisting of two components less than 60 kilometers in diameter orbiting at an average distance of 21000 km. It was discovered on 14 October 2007 by American astronomers Scott Sheppard and Chad Trujillo using the Subaru Telescope at Mauna Kea Observatories in Hawaii, United States. The system is notable as a wide optically resolved binary with components of almost equal size, and it is likely an escaped cold classical Kuiper belt object.
Quick Facts
- Minorplanet
- yes
- Background
- #C2E0FF
- Discovered
- 14 October 2007
- Discoverer
- S. S. Sheppard / C. Trujillo
- Discovery Site
- Mauna Kea Obs.
- Mpc Name
- (341520) Mors-Somnus
- Pronounced
- ˌ · m · ɔːr · z · _ · ˈ · s · ɒ · m · n · ə · s
- Named After
- Mors and Somnus / (Roman mythology)
- Mp Category
- TNOPlutino
- Epoch
- 4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
- Uncertainty
- 3
- Observation Arc
- 6.12 yr (2,235 days)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Mors–Somnus is a small double plutino occupying the 3:2 mean motion resonance with Neptune. The components have almost equal size and are optically resolved as a wide binary. The total mass of the system is 7.90 ± 0.21×10^17 kg. For a realistic minimal density of 0.5 g/cm³, the albedo is >0.17 and the size of the components is <60 km. The Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.1 and calculates a diameter of 175.20 kilometers based on an absolute magnitude of 6.9.
The object has an ultra-red spectrum in the visible and near-infrared parts of the spectrum, and the colors of the two components are indistinguishable from each other. It demonstrates a double-peaked light curve with a period of about 9.28 hours and amplitude of 0.24, indicating that either the primary or secondary has an elongated shape and rotates non-synchronously. The Mors–Somnus system is likely to be an escaped cold classical Kuiper belt object.
Reader's Guide
The Mors–Somnus system is significant as a binary plutino that provides insight into the dynamics and composition of trans-Neptunian objects. Its wide, optically resolved binary nature, with components of nearly equal size, offers a rare opportunity to study the orbital and physical properties of such systems. The ultra-red spectrum and indistinguishable colors of the components suggest a common origin, while the double-peaked light curve indicates non-synchronous rotation and an elongated shape for one component. The system's likely origin as an escaped cold classical Kuiper belt object ties it to the broader population of small bodies beyond Neptune, helping to refine models of the early solar system's evolution. The naming after the Roman twins Mors (death) and Somnus (sleep) reflects the mythological tradition in minor planet nomenclature.
Did You Know?
- The system has a total mass of 7.90 ± 0.21×10^17 kg.
- Its light curve has a period of about 9.28 hours and an amplitude of 0.24.
- The components have an ultra-red spectrum and indistinguishable colors.
More in Trans-Neptunian Objects 1-24
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