(469372) 2001 QF298

(469372) 2001 QF₂₉₈, provisionally known as 2001 QF₂₉₈, is a resonant trans-Neptunian object that resides in the Kuiper belt in the outermost region of the Solar System.^[6] It was discovered on August 19, 2001 by Marc W. Buie.^[2] 2001 QF₂₉₈ is a plutino, meaning that it is locked in a 3:2 orbital resonance with Neptune, much like Pluto.^[6]

(469372) 2001 QF₂₉₈

2001 QF298 imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2006.
Discovery[1]
Discovered by	Marc W. Buie[2] Cerro Tololo (807)
Discovery date	August 19, 2001
Designations
MPC designation	2001 QF298
Alternative designations	none
Minor planet category	TNO[3] · plutino[4][5]
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5)
Uncertainty parameter 3
Observation arc	4526 days (12.39 yr)
Aphelion	43.726 AU (6.5413 Tm)
Perihelion	34.756 AU (5.1994 Tm)
Semi-major axis	39.241 AU (5.8704 Tm)
Eccentricity	0.11429
Orbital period (sidereal)	245.82 yr (89784.4 d)
Average orbital speed	4.73 km/s
Mean anomaly	154.29°
Mean motion	0° 0m 14.435s /day
Inclination	22.408°
Longitude of ascending node	164.24°
Argument of perihelion	41.215°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	408.2+40.2 −44.9 km[6]
Geometric albedo	0.071+0.020 −0.014[6]
Spectral type	B−V=0.67 ± 0.07 V−R=0.39 ± 0.06[6]
Absolute magnitude (H)	5.43 ± 0.07,[6] 5.2[3]

Physical characteristics

In 2012, the size of 2001 QF₂₉₈ was estimated based on thermal radiation data obtained with the Herschel Space Telescope. The result was 408.2^+40.2
_−44.9 km.^[6]

In the visible light, the object appears to have a neutral or slightly red color.^[7]

Dwarf planet candidate

When first discovered, 2001 QF₂₉₈ was calculated to have an absolute magnitude (H) of 4.7.^[1] Light-curve-amplitude analysis from 2008 showed only small deviations, which suggested that 2001 QF₂₉₈ could be a spheroid about 480 kilometres (300 mi) in diameter with small albedo spots and hence a dwarf planet.^[8] It is not included in the same authors' list of dwarf-planet candidates from 2010 because, having an absolute magnitude of 5.4 and assumed albedo of 0.1, it would be less than the cut-off size of 450 kilometres (280 mi)^[9] (the same criteria as in the first paper).^[8]