The 2004 DW reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

2004 DW

2004 DW is the temporary name given to the Kuiper Belt object (KBO) that was discovered by Mike Brown of Caltech, Chad Trujillo of the Gemini Observatory, and David Rabinowitz of Yale University. The image of this object was first acquired on February 17, 2004.

Size and magnitude

The apparent magnitude of the object is 18.5, which is the same brightness as 50000 Quaoar. A very preliminary orbit indicates that the object is a Plutino. Therefore, the object is probably larger than Quaoar, since it is farther from the Sun. Using an assumed albedo of 0.09, Trujillo estimates its diameter to be approximately 1600 km, which makes 2004 DW potentially the second-largest KBO, after Pluto. (The recently discovered (2003 VB12) Sedna, lying beyond the Kuiper Belt, may be the second-largest TNO).

Name

The name "2004 DW" is a provisional designation. Within a few months or years, as the estimated 248-year orbit of 2004 DW is confirmed by the IAU, it will be assigned a number. Then the discoverers have 10 years from that date to propose a name for the object.

IAU rules further state that since 2004 DW shares a similar size and orbit to that of Pluto, it too must be named after a deity of the underworld.

External links and sources

• C. Trujillo's page on 2004 DW
• First BBC article
• First New Scientist article

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