2005 RN43 is a large trans-Neptunian object. 2005 RN43 is possibly the 22th largest TNO and 9th largest Cubewano currently known.
Discovery
2005 RN43 was discovered by Andrew C. Becker, Andrew W. Puckett and Jeremy M. Kubica on September 10, 2005 at Apache Point Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico.
2005 RN43 has been observed 119 times over 13 oppositions with precovery images back to 1954.
Stats
Estimated Diameter: 661 km
Aphelion: 42.55 AU
Perihelion: 40.55 AU
Semi-major axis: 41.61 AU
Orbital Period: 268.45 years
Rotation period: 5.62 hours
Date discovered: 2005.9.10
Satellite: 0
Classification: TNO, KBO - Cubewano
Classification
The Minor Planet Center (MPC) classifies it as a cubewano. But since 2005 RN43 has an inclination of 19.3°, and it is unknown how it acquired this moderate inclination, the Deep Ecliptic Survey (DES) classifies it as scattered-extended.
Physical Characteristics
Very little is known about 2005 RN43.
How big is it?
2005 RN43 is so far away in the outer solar system that we don't know for sure how large it is. Because all we see is a dot of light, which is sunlight reflected off the surface of the TNO. But we don't know if the object is bright because it is large or if it is bright because it is highly reflective or both.
Dwarf planet candidate?
2005 RN43 is very likely a dwarf planet. Mike Brown's automatically updated website lists it as a highly likely dwarf planet, but the diameter of the object has never been measured.
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