Related papers: Origin of (2014) MU69-like Kuiper-belt contact bin…

Initial results from the New Horizons exploration of 2014 MU69, a small Kuiper Belt Object

The Kuiper Belt is a distant region of the Solar System. On 1 January 2019, the New Horizons spacecraft flew close to (486958) 2014 MU69, a Cold Classical Kuiper Belt Object, a class of objects that have never been heated by the Sun and are…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2020-04-03 S. A. Stern , H. A. Weaver , J. R. Spencer , C. B. Olkin , G. R. Gladstone , W. M. Grundy , J. M. Moore , D. P. Cruikshank , H. A. Elliott , W. B. McKinnon , J. Wm. Parker , A. J. Verbiscer , L. A. Young , D. A. Aguilar , J. M. Albers , T. Andert , J. P. Andrews , F. Bagenal , M. E. Banks , B. A. Bauer , J. A. Bauman , K. E. Bechtold , C. B. Beddingfield , N. Behrooz , K. B. Beisser , S. D. Benecchi , E. Bernardoni , R. A. Beyer , S. Bhaskaran , C. J. Bierson , R. P. Binzel , E. M. Birath , M. K. Bird , D. R. Boone , A. F. Bowman , V. J. Bray , D. T. Britt , L. E. Brown , M. R. Buckley , M. W. Buie , B. J. Buratti , L. M. Burke , S. S. Bushman , B. Carcich , A. L. Chaikin , C. L. Chavez , A. F. Cheng , E. J. Colwell , S. J. Conard , M. P. Conner , C. A. Conrad , J. C. Cook , S. B. Cooper , O. S. Custodio , C. M. Dalle Ore , C. C. Deboy , P. Dharmavaram , R. D. Dhingra , G. F. Dunn , A. M. Earle , A. F. Egan , J. Eisig , M. R. El-Maarry , C. Engelbrecht , B. L. Enke , C. J. Ercol , E. D. Fattig , C. L. Ferrell , T. J. Finley , J. Firer , J. Fischetti , W. M. Folkner , M. N. Fosbury , G. H. Fountain , J. M. Freeze , L. Gabasova , L. S. Glaze , J. L. Green , G. A. Griffith , Y. Guo , M. Hahn , D. W. Hals , D. P. Hamilton , S. A. Hamilton , J. J. Hanley , A. Harch , K. A. Harmon , H. M. Hart , J. Hayes , C. B. Hersman , M. E. Hill , T. A. Hill , J. D. Hofgartner , M. E. Holdridge , M. Horányi , A. Hosadurga , A. D. Howard , C. J. A. Howett , S. E. Jaskulek , D. E. Jennings , J. R. Jensen , M. R. Jones , H. K. Kang , D. J. Katz , D. E. Kaufmann , J. J. Kavelaars , J. T. Keane , G. P. Keleher , M. Kinczyk , M. C. Kochte , P. Kollmann , S. M. Krimigis , G. L. Kruizinga , D. Y. Kusnierkiewicz , M. S. Lahr , T. R. Lauer , G. B. Lawrence , J. E. Lee , E. J. Lessac-Chenen , I. R. Linscott , C. M. Lisse , A. W. Lunsford , D. M. Mages , V. A. Mallder , N. P. Martin , B. H. May , D. J. McComas , R. L. McNutt , Jr. D. S. Mehoke , T. S. Mehoke , D. S. Nelson , H. D. Nguyen , J. I. Núñez , A. C. Ocampo , W. M. Owen , G. K. Oxton , A. H. Parker , M. Pätzold , J. Y. Pelgrift , F. J. Pelletier , J. P. Pineau , M. R. Piquette , S. B. Porter , S. Protopapa , E. Quirico , J. A. Redfern , A. L. Regiec , H. J. Reitsema , D. C. Reuter , D. C. Richardson , J. E. Riedel , M. A. Ritterbush , S. J. Robbins , D. J. Rodgers , G. D. Rogers , D. M. Rose , P. E. Rosendall , K. D. Runyon , M. G. Ryschkewitsch , M. M. Saina , M. J. Salinas , P. M. Schenk , J. R. Scherrer , W. R. Schlei , B. Schmitt , D. J. Schultz , D. C. Schurr , F. Scipioni , R. L. Sepan , R. G. Shelton , M. R. Showalter , M. Simon , K. N. Singer , E. W. Stahlheber , D. R. Stanbridge , J. A. Stansberry , A. J. Steffl , D. F. Strobel , M. M. Stothoff , T. Stryk , J. R. Stuart , M. E. Summers , M. B. Tapley , A. Taylor , H. W. Taylor , R. M. Tedford , H. B. Throop , L. S. Turner , O. M. Umurhan , J. Van Eck , D. Velez , M. H. Versteeg , M. A. Vincent , R. W. Webbert , S. E. Weidner , G. E. Weigle , J. R. Wendel , O. L. White , K. E. Whittenburg , B. G. Williams , K. E. Williams , S. P. Williams , H. L. Winters , A. M. Zangari , T. H. Zurbuchen

Evolution of MU69 from a binary planetesimal into contact by Kozai-Lidov oscillations and nebular drag

The New Horizons flyby of the cold classical Kuiper Belt object MU69 showed it to be a contact binary. The existence of other contact binaries in the 1-10km range raises the question of how common these bodies are and how they evolved into…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2020-11-30 Wladimir Lyra , Andrew N. Youdin , Anders Johansen

The solar nebula origin of (486958) Arrokoth, a primordial contact binary in the Kuiper belt

The New Horizons spacecraft's encounter with the cold classical Kuiper belt object (486958) Arrokoth (formerly 2014 MU69) revealed a contact-binary planetesimal. We investigate how it formed, finding it is the product of a gentle, low-speed…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2020-03-13 W. B. McKinnon , D. C. Richardson , J. C. Marohnic , J. T. Keane , W. M. Grundy , D. P. Hamilton , D. Nesvorny , O. M. Umurhan , T. R. Lauer , K. N. Singer , S. A. Stern , H. A. Weaver , J. R. Spencer , M. W. Buie , J. M. Moore , J. J. Kavelaars , C. M. Lisse , X. Mao , A. H. Parker , S. B. Porter , M. R. Showalter , C. B. Olkin , D. P. Cruikshank , H. A. Elliott , G. R. Gladstone , J. W. Parker , A. J. Verbiscer , L. A. Young , the New Horizons Science Team

The HST Lightcurve of (486958) 2014 MU69

We report HST lightcurve observations of the New Horizons (NH) spacecraft encounter KBO (486958) 2014 MU69 acquired near opposition in July 2017. In order to plan the optimum flyby sequence the NH mission planners needed to learn as much as…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2020-02-12 S. D. Benecchi , S. Porter , M. W. Buie , A. M. Zangari , A. J. Verbiscer , K. S. Noll , S. A. Stern , J. R. Spencer , A. Parker

The Geology and Geophysics of Kuiper Belt Object (486958) Arrokoth

The Cold Classical Kuiper Belt, a class of small bodies in undisturbed orbits beyond Neptune, are primitive objects preserving information about Solar System formation. The New Horizons spacecraft flew past one of these objects, the 36 km…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2020-04-03 J. R. Spencer , S. A. Stern , J. M. Moore , H. A. Weaver , K. N. Singer , C. B. Olkin , A. J. Verbiscer , W. B. McKinnon , J. Wm. Parker , R. A. Beyer , J. T. Keane , T. R. Lauer , S. B. Porter , O. L. White , B. J. Buratti , M. R. El-Maarry , C. M. Lisse , A. H. Parker , H. B. Throop , S. J. Robbins , O. M. Umurhan , R. P. Binzel , D. T. Britt , M. W. Buie , A. F. Cheng , D. P. Cruikshank , H. A. Elliott , G. R. Gladstone , W. M. Grundy , M. E. Hill , M. Horanyi , D. E. Jennings , J. J. Kavelaars , I. R. Linscott , D. J. McComas , R. L. McNutt , S. Protopapa , D. C. Reuter , P. M. Schenk , M. R. Showalter , L. A. Young , A. M. Zangari , A. Y. Abedin , C. B. Beddingfield , S. D. Benecchi , E. Bernardoni , C. J. Bierson , D. Borncamp , V. J. Bray , A. L. Chaikin , R. D. Dhingra , C. Fuentes , T. Fuse , P. L Gay , S. D. J. Gwyn , D. P. Hamilton , J. D. Hofgartner , M. J. Holman , A. D. Howard , C. J. A. Howett , H. Karoji , D. E. Kaufmann , M. Kinczyk , B. H. May , M. Mountain , M. Pätzold , J. M. Petit , M. R. Piquette , I. N. Reid , H. J. Reitsema , K. D. Runyon , S. S. Sheppard , J. A. Stansberry , T. Stryk , P. Tanga , D. J. Tholen , D. E. Trilling , L. H. Wasserman

Constraining the final merger of contact binary(486958) Arrokoth with soft-sphere discrete element simulations

The New Horizons mission has returned stunning images of the bilobate Kuiper belt object (486958) Arrokoth. It is a contact binary, formed from two intact and relatively undisturbed predecessor objects joined by a narrow contact region. We…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2021-01-20 J. C. Marohnic , D. C. Richardson , W. B. McKinnon , H. F. Agrusa , J. V. DeMartini , A. F. Cheng , S. A. Stern , C. B. Olkin , H. A. Weaver , J. R. Spencer , the New Horizons Science team

Formation of Kuiper-belt binaries through multiple chaotic scattering encounters with low-mass intruders

The discovery that many trans-neptunian objects exist in pairs, or binaries, is proving invaluable for shedding light on the formation, evolution and structure of the outer Solar system. Based on recent systematic searches it has been…

Astrophysics · Physics 2007-05-23 Sergey A. Astakhov , Ernestine A. Lee , David Farrelly

The Color and Binarity of (486958) 2014 MU69 and Other Long-Range New Horizons Kuiper Belt Targets

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) measured the colors of eight Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) that will be observed by the New Horizons spacecraft including its 2019 close fly-by target the Cold Classical KBO (486958) 2014 MU69. We find that the…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2020-02-12 Susan Benecchi , David Borncamp , Alex Parker , Marc Buie , Keith Noll , Richard Binzel , S. Alan Stern , Anne Verbiscer , J. J. Kavelaars , Amanda Zangari , John Spencer , Harold Weaver

High-Precision Orbit Fitting and Uncertainty Analysis of (486958) 2014 MU69

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft will conduct a close flyby of the cold classical Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) designated (486958) 2014 MU69 on January 1, 2019. At a heliocentric distance of 44 AU, "MU69" will be the most distant object ever…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2018-06-22 Simon B. Porter , Marc W. Buie , Alex H. Parker , John R. Spencer , Susan Benecchi , Paolo Tanga , Anne Verbiscer , J. J. Kavelaars , Stephen D. J. Gwyn , Eliot F. Young , H. A. Weaver , Catherine B. Olkin , Joel W. Parker , Alan Stern

High Resolution Search for KBO Binaries from New Horizons

Using the New Horizons LORRI camera, we searched for satellites near five Kuiper belt objects (KBOs): four cold classicals (CCs: 2011 JY31, 2014 OS393, 2014 PN70, 2011 HZ102) and one scattered disk object (SD: 2011 HK103). These objects…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2022-01-19 H. A. Weaver , S. B. Porter , J. R. Spencer , The New Horizons Science Team

Formation of Kuiper Belt Binaries

It appears that at least several percent of large Kuiper belt objects are members of wide binaries. Physical collisions are too infrequent to account for their formation. Collisionless gravitational interactions are more promising. These…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-11-07 Peter Goldreich , Yoram Lithwick , Re'em Sari

Crater Density Predictions for New Horizons flyby target 2014 MU69

In preparation for the Jan 1/2019 encounter between the New Horizons spacecraft and the Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69, we provide estimates of the expected impact crater surface density on the Kuiper Belt object. Using the observed crater…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2019-02-13 Sarah Greenstreet , Brett Gladman , William McKinnon , JJ Kavelaars , Kelsi Singer

Formation of Kuiper Belt Binaries by Gravitational Collapse

A large fraction of 100-km-class low-inclination objects in the classical Kuiper Belt (KB) are binaries with comparable mass and wide separation of components. A favored model for their formation was capture during the coagulation growth of…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2015-05-19 David Nesvorny , Andrew N. Youdin , Derek C. Richardson

The Wide-Binary Origin of The Pluto-Charon System

The Pluto-Charon binary system is the best-studied representative of the binary Kuiper-belt population. Its origins are vital to understanding the formation of other Kupier-belt objects (KBO) and binaries, and the evolution of the outer…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2020-09-02 Mor Rozner , Evgeni Grishin , Hagai B. Perets

The formation of Kuiper-belt Binaries through Exchange Reactions

Recent observations have revealed an unexpectedly high binary fraction among the Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) that populate the Kuiper-belt. The discovered binaries have four characteristics they comprise a few percent of the TNOs, the…

Astrophysics · Physics 2015-06-24 Yoko Funato , Junichiro Makino , Piet Hut , Eiichiro Kokubo , Daisuke Kinoshita

Numerical Investigations of Kuiper Belt Binaries

Observations of the Kuiper Belt indicate that a larger than expected percentage of KBO's (approximately 8 out of 500) are in binary pairs. The formation and survival of such objects presents a conundrum [1]. Two competing theories have been…

Space Physics · Physics 2007-05-23 R. C. Nazzario , T. W. Hyde

The Shape of (486958) Arrokoth

Here we present an updated shape model of (486958) Arrokoth, the bilobate Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) which the NASA New Horizons spacecraft flew past in 2019. This updated shape model uses all of the resolved images of Arrokoth obtained by…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2026-05-29 Simon B. Porter , Kelsi N. Singer , Paul M. Schenk , Anne J. Verbiscer , Susan D. Benecchi , John R. Spencer , Joel Wm. Parker , Pontus Brandt , S. Alan Stern

The First High-Phase Observations of a KBO: New Horizons Imaging of (15810) 1994 JR1 from the Kuiper Belt

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft observed (15810) 1994 JR$_1$, a 3:2 resonant Kupier Belt Object (KBO), using the LOng Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on November 2, 2015 from a distance of 1.85 AU, and again on April 7, 2016 from a…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2016-09-05 Simon B. Porter , John R. Spencer , Susan Benecchi , Anne Verbiscer , Amanda M. Zangari , H. A. Weaver , Tod R. Lauer , Alex H. Parker , Marc W. Buie , Andrew F. Cheng , Leslie A. Young , Cathy B. Olkin , Kimberly Ennico , S. Alan Stern , the New Horizons Science Team

Evolution of Primordial Kuiper Belt Binaries Through a Giant Planet Instability

The non-resonant Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) between the 3:2 and 2:1 Neptunian mean motion resonances can be largely divided between a cold classical belt (CCB) and a hot classical belt (HCB). A notable difference between these two…

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Physics 2021-07-07 Lukas R Stone , Nathan A Kaib

KBO binaries: are they really primordial ?

Given the large orbital separation and high satellite-to-primary mass ratio of all known Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) binaries, it is important to reassess their stability as bound pairs with respect to several disruptive mechanisms. Besides…

Astrophysics · Physics 2007-05-23 Jean-Marc Petit , Olivier Mousis