65489 Ceto

65489 Ceto

** is a special kind of object in space called a binary trans-Neptunian object. It was discovered on March 22, 2003, by Chad A. Trujillo and Michael Brown at the Palomar observatory.

This object has two parts and is sometimes called (65489) Ceto–Phorcys. It is named after Ceto, a sea goddess from Greek mythology. The object came closest to the Sun in 1989.

Physical characteristics

Ceto is a binary object, meaning it has two parts of similar size that orbit each other. Scientists used special telescopes like the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope to measure their sizes. Ceto is about 174 kilometers wide, and its companion, Phorcys, is about 132 kilometers wide.

Because Ceto has two parts, scientists can find the total mass of the system. This helps them estimate the weight of each part and learn what they are made of. Ceto’s density is about 1.37 grams per cubic centimeter, which suggests it is made of a mix of rock and ice. The same forces that keep the two parts orbiting each other might also help explain what they are made of and how they move.

Satellite

Ceto has a companion object called Phorcys. This companion was found on April 11, 2006, using the Hubble Space Telescope. It was named after a Greek sea god. The Ceto system, with both objects together, is considered a special kind of object in space.