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plutino

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Also known as 2:3-resonant trans-Neptunian object, 2:3-resonant TNO

In astronomy, the plutinos are a dynamical group of trans-Neptunian objects that orbit in 2:3 mean-motion resonance with Neptune. This means that for every two orbits a plutino makes, Neptune orbits three times. The dwarf planet Pluto is the largest member as well as the namesake of this group. The next largest members are , Achlys, and . Plutinos are named after mythological creatures associated with the underworld.

~8 min read

Encyclopedic overview

9 sections
Contents
  • Orbits
  • Origin
  • Orbital characteristics
  • Long-term stability
  • Orbital diagrams
  • Brightest objects
  • See also
  • References
  • External links

In astronomy, the plutinos are a dynamical group of trans-Neptunian objects that orbit in 2:3 mean-motion resonance with Neptune. This means that for every two orbits a plutino makes, Neptune orbits three times. The dwarf planet Pluto is the largest member as well as the namesake of this group. The next largest members are , Achlys, and . Plutinos are named after mythological creatures associated with the underworld.

Plutinos form the inner part of the Kuiper belt and represent about a quarter of the known Kuiper belt objects. They are also the most populous known class of resonant trans-Neptunian objects (also see adjunct box with hierarchical listing). The first plutino after Pluto itself, (385185) 1993 RO, was discovered on 16 September 1993.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “plutino” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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