2002 AW197 has a rotation period of 8.8 hours and is a moderately red color.[16] Tancredi notes that photometric observations suggest that it is a spheroid with small albedo spots.[24] However, its low albedo suggests it does not have planetary geology, as it should if it were a dwarf planet.
2002 AW197 orbits the Sun at a distance of 40.9–53.2 AU once every 322.6 years (over 117,800 days; semi-major axis of 47 AU). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.13 and an inclination of 24° with respect to the ecliptic.[3] The body's observation arc begins with a precovery taken at Haleakala-NEAT/GEODSS (566) in December 1997, more than 4 years prior to its official discovery observation at Palomar.[1] At 45.4 AU from the Sun,[19] it continues to slowly approach the Sun until its perihelion passage at 41.1 AU in May 2078.[7]
ESO analysis of spectra reveals a strong red slope and no presence of water ice[25] (in contrast to Quaoar, also red) suggesting organic material (see comparison of colours and typical composition inferred from spectra of the TNOs).
See also
174567 Varda – a similar TNO by orbit, size and color
^ abMarsden, Brian G. (20 July 2002). "MPEC 2002-O30 : 2002 AW197". IAU Minor Planet Center. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
^ abJPL Horizons Observer Location: @sun (Perihelion occurs when deldot changes from negative to positive. Uncertainty in time of perihelion is 3-sigma.)
^ abcVilenius, E.; Kiss, C.; Müller, T.; Mommert, M.; Santos-Sanz, P.; Pál, A.; et al. (April 2014). ""TNOs are Cool": A survey of the trans-Neptunian region. X. Analysis of classical Kuiper belt objects from Herschel and Spitzer observations". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 564: 18. arXiv:1403.6309v1. Bibcode:2014A&A...564A..35V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201322416. S2CID118513049.
^Stansberry, J.; Grundy, W.; Brown, M.; Cruikshank, D.; Spencer, J.; Trilling, D.; et al. (December 2007). "Physical Properties of Kuiper Belt and Centaur Objects: Constraints from the Spitzer Space Telescope". The Solar System Beyond Neptune: 161–179. arXiv:astro-ph/0702538. Bibcode:2008ssbn.book..161S.
^Stansberry, J. A.; Cruikshank, D. P.; Grundy, W. G.; Margot, J. L.; Emery, J. P.; Fernandez, Y. R.; et al. (August 2005). "Albedos, Diameters (and a Density) of Kuiper Belt and Centaur Objects". American Astronomical Society. 37: 737. Bibcode:2005DPS....37.5205S.
^Vilenius, E.; Kiss, C.; Müller, T.; Mommert, M.; Santos-Sanz, P.; Pál, A.; et al. (April 2014). ""TNOs are Cool": A survey of the trans-Neptunian region X. Analysis of classical Kuiper belt objects from Herschel and Spitzer observations". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 564 (A35): 18. arXiv:1403.6309. Bibcode:2014A&A...564A..35V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201322047.
^Tancredi, G., & Favre, S. (2008) Which are the dwarfs in the Solar System?. Depto. Astronomía, Fac. Ciencias, Montevideo, Uruguay; Observatorio Astronómico Los Molinos, MEC, Uruguay. Retrieved 10-08-2011
Doressoundiram, A.; Barucci, M. A.; Tozzi, G. P.; Poulet, F.; Boehnhardt, H.; de Bergh, C.; Peixinho, N. (2005). "Spectral characteristics and modeling of the trans-neptunian object (55565) 2002 AW197 and the Centaurs (55576) 2002 GB10 and (83982) 2002 GO9: ESO Large Program on TNOs and Centaurs". Planetary and Space Science. 53 (14–15): 1501–1509. Bibcode:2005P&SS...53.1501D. doi:10.1016/j.pss.2004.11.007.