2009 SE

2009 SE is a small asteroid and Mars trojan orbiting near the L₅ point of Mars (60 degrees behind Mars on its orbit).^[2]

Discovery, orbit and physical properties

2009 SE was first observed on 16 September 2009 by the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS).^[3] Its orbit is characterized by low eccentricity (0.065), moderate inclination (20.6°) and a semi-major axis of 1.52 AU.^[3] Upon discovery, it was classified as Mars-crosser by the Minor Planet Center. Its orbit is well determined as it is currently (January 2021) based on 56 observations with a data-arc span of 3,133 days.^[1] 2009 SE has an absolute magnitude of 19.9 which gives a characteristic diameter of 400 m.^[1]

Mars trojan and orbital evolution

Recent calculations indicate that it is a stable L₅ Mars trojan with a libration period of 1430 yr and an amplitude of 70°.^[2] The libration amplitude is not similar to that of 5261 Eureka and related objects.^{[citation needed]}

Mars trojan

L₄ (leading):

• (121514) 1999 UJ7 †

L₅ (trailing):

• 5261 Eureka (1990 MB) †
• (101429) 1998 VF31 †
• (311999) 2007 NS2 †
• (385250) 2001 DH47
• 2009 SE
• 2011 SC191
• 2011 SL25
• 2011 SP189
• 2011 UB256
• 2011 UN63
• 2016 CP31
• 2018 EC4
• 2018 FC4

See also

• 2020 VT1

References

Further reading

• Three new stable L5 Mars Trojans de la Fuente Marcos, C., de la Fuente Marcos, R. 2013, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, Vol. 432, Issue 1, pp. 31–35.
• Orbital clustering of Martian Trojans: An asteroid family in the inner solar system? Christou, A. A. 2013, Icarus, Vol. 224, Issue 1, pp. 144–153.

External links

• 2009 SE data at MPC.
• 2009 SE at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info