2006 LM1

2006 LM₁ is a trans-Neptunian object and retrograde damocloid on a highly eccentric, cometary-like orbit. It was first observed on 3 June 2006 by the Mount Lemmon Survey at the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, United States. The orbit of 2006 LM₁ is highly uncertain as its observation arc is only spans 2 days. 2006 LM₁ measures approximately 5 kilometers (3 miles) in diameter, assuming a low albedo of 0.09.^[3]

2006 LM₁

Discovery[1][2]
Discovered by	Mt. Lemmon Survey
Discovery site	Mt. Lemmon Obs.
Discovery date	3 June 2006
Designations
MPC designation	2006 LM1
Minor planet category	TNO[1] · damocloid[3] distant[2]
Orbital characteristics[1][2]
Epoch 4 June 2006 (JD 2453890.5)
Uncertainty parameter 9
Observation arc	2 days
Aphelion	60.672 AU
Perihelion	3.702 AU
Semi-major axis	32.187 AU
Eccentricity	0.88499
Orbital period (sidereal)	182.61 yr
Mean anomaly	359.490°
Mean motion	0° 0m 19.431s / day
Inclination	172.136°
Longitude of ascending node	120.659°
Argument of perihelion	202.317°
Earth MOID	2.68715 AU
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	~5 km[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)	14.854±0.261[1] 14.8[2]

Orbit

The orbit of 2006 LM₁ has a high eccentricity of 0.88 and a semi-major axis of 32.2 AU. Its perihelion distance is 3.7 AU from the Sun and its aphelion distance is 60.7 AU. Its orbit is inclined 172 degrees to the ecliptic plane, meaning that it orbits the Sun in a retrograde (backwards) motion compared to the planets in the Solar System.^[1] Because of 2006 LM₁'s highly eccentric and inclined orbit, it is classified as a damocloid, a group of minor planets with long period comet-like orbits.^[1]