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Cubewano is a Kuiper belt object that orbits beyond Neptune
 In astronomy a cubewano is a Kuiper belt object that orbits beyond Neptune and is not controlled by an orbital resonance with the giant planet. Cubewanos have semi-major axes in the 40-50 AU range and, unlike Pluto, do not cross Neptune’s orbit. They are also called classical Kuiper Belt objects. The odd name derives from the first Trans-Neptunian object (TNO) found (besides Pluto and Charon), (15760) 1992 QB1. Later objects were called "QB1-o's", or cubewanos. Objects identified as cubewanos include:
OrbitsMost cubewanos are found between the 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune (populated by Plutinos) and the 1:2 resonance. 50000 Quaoar, for example, has a near circular orbit close to the ecliptic. Plutinos, on the other hand, have more eccentric orbits bringing some of them closer to the Sun than Neptune. The majority of objects (the so-called 'cold population'), have low inclinations and near circular orbits. A smaller population (the 'hot population') is characterised by highly inclined, more eccentric orbits. The recent Deep Ecliptic Survey reports the distributions of the two populations; one with the inclination centered at 4.6º (named Core) and another with inclinations extending beyond 30º (Halo). Distribution
The vast majority of KBOs (more than two-thirds) have inclinations of less than 5º and eccentricities of less than 0.1. Their semi-major axes show a preference for the middle of the main belt; arguably, smaller objects close to the limiting resonances have been either captured into resonance or have their orbits modified by Neptune. The 'hot' and 'cold' populations are strikingly different: more than 30% of all cubewanos are in low inclination, near-circular orbits. The parameters of the plutinos’ orbits are more evenly distributed, with a local maximum in moderate eccentricities in 0.15-0.2 range and low inclinations 5-10º. See also the comparison with scattered disk objects. 
When the orbital eccentricities of cubewanos and plutinos are compared, it can be seen that the cubewanos form a clear 'belt' outside Neptune's orbit, whereas the plutinos approach, or even cross Neptune's orbits. When orbital inclinations are compared, 'hot' cubewanos can be easily distinguished by their higher inclinations, as the plutinos typically keep orbits below 20º. Toward a formal definitionThere is no official definition of 'cubewano' or 'classical KBO'. However, the terms are normally used to refer to objects free from significant perturbation from Neptune, thereby excluding KBOs in orbital resonance with Neptune (Resonant trans-Neptunian objects). Furthermore, there is evidence that the Kuiper Belt has an 'edge', in that an apparent lack of low inclination objects beyond 47-49 AU was suspected as early as 1998 and shown with more data in 2001. Consequently, the traditional usage of the terms is based on the orbit’s semi-major axis, and includes objects situated between the 2:3 and 1:2 resonances, that is between 39.4 and 47.8 AU (with exclusion of these resonances and the minor ones in-between). However, these definitions lack precision: in particular the boundary between the classical objects and the scattered disk remains blurred. A recent classification by J. L. Elliott et al uses formal criteria based on the mean orbital parameters instead. Put informally, the definition includes the objects that have never crossed the orbit of Neptune. According to this definition, an object qualifies as a classical KBO if:
Introduced by the report from the Deep Ecliptic Survey, this definition appears to be adopted in the most recent literature. Print Version Print This Article |
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