(19255) 1994 VK8

(19255) 1994 VK₈ is a trans-Neptunian object (TNO) of the "cold" cubewano class orbiting the Sun in the Kuiper belt of the outer Solar System. It was discovered on November 8, 1994, by Alan Fitzsimmons, Donal O'Ceallaigh, and Iwan P. Williams at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma, Spain.

(19255) 1994 VK₈

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	A. Fitzsimmons D. O'Ceallaigh I. P. Williams
Discovery site	Roque de los Muchachos Obs.
Discovery date	8 November 1994
Designations
MPC designation	(19255) 1994 VK8
Alternative designations	none
Minor planet category	cubewano[2][3] (cold)[4]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 4
Observation arc	7347 days (20.11 yr)
Aphelion	44.40611 AU (6.643060 Tm)
Perihelion	41.34116 AU (6.184550 Tm)
Semi-major axis	42.87364 AU (6.413805 Tm)
Eccentricity	0.035744
Orbital period (sidereal)	280.73 yr (102538 d)
Average orbital speed	4.56 km/s
Mean anomaly	267.925°
Mean motion	0° 0m 12.639s / day
Inclination	1.48856°
Longitude of ascending node	72.3924°
Argument of perihelion	112.111°
TJupiter	5.857
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	175 km[3]
Mass	5.6×1018 kg
Mean density	2.0 g/cm3
Equatorial surface gravity	0.0489 m/s2
Equatorial escape velocity	0.0925 km/s
Synodic rotation period	9 h (0.38 d)[1]
Geometric albedo	0.09 (assumed)
Temperature	~43 K
Spectral type	?
Absolute magnitude (H)	7.0[1]

(19255) 1994 VK₈ is the fourth cubewano to be given an official Minor Planet Center catalog number.^[5] The first three official cubewanos are 15760 Albion, (15807) 1994 GV9, and (16684) 1994 JQ1.