trans-Neptunian object

A Dictionary of Astronomy | 1997 | 531 words | Copyright

trans-Neptunian object (TNO) Any small, icy body orbiting the Sun beyond Neptune. There are probably tens of thousands of such objects with diameters exceeding 100 km in a ring-shaped zone extending outwards from the orbit of Neptune (at 30 AU). They include objects in the main Kuiper Belt, scattered‐disk objects, and objects in resonant orbits with Neptune. Most of the latter are in a 3:2 orbital resonance and are known as Plutinos, but there are smaller populations in other resonances, such as 2 : 1 and 4 : 3.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"trans-Neptunian object." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"trans-Neptunian object." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-transNeptunianobject.html

"trans-Neptunian object." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-transNeptunianobject.html

Learn more about citation styles