(527603) 2007 VJ305

(527603) 2007 VJ₃₀₅ (provisional designation 2007 VJ₃₀₅) is an extreme trans-Neptunian object from the extended scattered disc on a highly eccentric orbit in the outermost region of the Solar System. It measures approximately 250 kilometers (160 miles) in diameter. The reddish extended scattered disc object belongs to the group of extreme trans-Neptunian objects. It was discovered on 4 November 2007 by astronomers Andrew Becker, Andrew Puckett and Jeremy Kubica at the Apache Point Observatory in New Mexico, United States.^[1][2]

(527603) 2007 VJ₃₀₅

Discovery[1][2]
Discovered by	A. C. Becker A. W. Puckett J. Kubica
Discovery site	Apache Point Obs.
Discovery date	4 November 2007
Designations
MPC designation	(527603) 2007 VJ305
Alternative designations	2007 VJ305
Minor planet category	TNO[3] · ESDO[4] p-DP[5] · ETNO distant[1]
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 2
Observation arc	17.19 yr (6,278 d)
Aphelion	346.97 AU
Perihelion	35.147 AU
Semi-major axis	191.06 AU
Eccentricity	0.8160
Orbital period (sidereal)	2640.9 yr (964,601 d)
Mean anomaly	1.8326°
Mean motion	0° 0m 1.44s / day
Inclination	11.993°
Longitude of ascending node	24.377°
Argument of perihelion	338.10°
Neptune MOID	5.4 AU[1]
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	202 km (est.)[4] 279 km (est.)[5]
Geometric albedo	0.04 (assumed)[5] 0.09 (assumed)[4]
Spectral type	IR[4] B–I = 1.960[6] B–R = 1.440[6] R–I = 0.520[6] V–R = 0.520[6]
Absolute magnitude (H)	6.9[1][3]

Orbit and classification

2007 VJ₃₀₅ orbits the Sun at a distance of 35.1–347 AU once every 2640 years and 11 months (964,601 days; semi-major axis of 191.1 AU). Its orbit has an exceptionally high eccentricity of 0.82 and an inclination of 12° with respect to the ecliptic.^[3] The body's observation arc begins with a precovery taken during the Sloan Digital Sky Survey at Apache Point in November 2000.^[1] It has a minimum orbital intersection distance with Neptune of 5.4 AU.^[1]

It belongs to a small group of detached objects with perihelion distances of 30 AU or more, and semi-major axes of 150 AU or more.^[7] These extreme trans-Neptunian objects (ETNOs) can not reach such orbits without some perturbing object, which leads to the speculation of Planet Nine.

Numbering and naming

2007 VJ₃₀₅ was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 18 May 2019 (M.P.C. 114650).^[8] As of 2025, it has not been named.^[1]

Physical characteristics

2007 VJ₃₀₅'s color is reddish with an intermediary IR spectral type and a B–R color index of 1.44.^[4][6]

Diameter and albedo

According to Johnston's Archive and to American astronomer Michael Brown, 2007 VJ₃₀₅ measures 202 and 279 kilometers in diameter based on an assumed albedo of 0.09 and 0.04, respectively.^[4][5] On his website, Michael Brown lists this object as "possibly" a dwarf planet (200–400 km) which is the least certain class in his 5-class taxonomic system.^[5]

Rotation period and shape

As of 2019, no rotational lightcurve has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown.^[3][9]