astronomy

(48639) 1995 TL8

(48639) 1995 TL8 is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand (48639) 1995 TL8 rather than just read about it. In short: (48639) 1995 TL8 is a binary trans-Neptunian object from the scattered disc in the outermost regions of the Solar System. It was discovered by Arianna Gleason in 1995 and measures approximately 176 kilometers in diameter.

Key takeaways

(48639) 1995 TL8 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect (48639) 1995 TL8 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of (48639) 1995 TL8 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

(48639) 1995 TL8 is a binary trans-Neptunian object from the scattered disc in the outermost regions of the Solar System. It was discovered by Arianna Gleason in 1995 and measures approximately 176 kilometers in diameter. Its 80-kilometer minor-planet moon was discovered on 9 November 2002.

Discovery 1995 TL8 was discovered on 15 October 1995, by American astronomer Arianna Gleason as part of UA's Spacewatch survey at Kitt Peak National Observatory, near Tucson, Arizona. It was the first of the bodies presently classified as a scattered-disc object (SDO) to be discovered, preceding the SDO prototype (15874) 1996 TL66 by almost a year.

Satellite

A companion was discovered by Denise C. Stephens and Keith S. Noll, from observations with the Hubble Space Telescope taken on 9 November 2002, and announced on 5 October 2005. The satellite is relatively large, having a likely mass of about 10% of the primary. Its orbit has not been determined, but it was at a separation of only about 420 kilometres (260 mi) to the primary at the time of discovery, with a possible orbital period of about half a day and an estimated diameter of 161 kilometres (100 mi).

Scattered–extended object 1995 TL8 is classified as detached object (scattered–extended) by the Deep Ecliptic Survey, since its orbit appears to be beyond significant gravitational interactions with Neptune's current orbit. However, if Neptune migrated outward, there would have been a period when Neptune had a higher eccentricity. Simulations made in 2007 show that 1995 TL8 appears to have less than a 1% chance of being in a 3:7 resonance with Neptune, but it does execute circulations near this resonance.

Numbering and naming This minor planet was numbered by the Minor Planet Center on 20 November 2002. As of 2025, it has not been named.

See also 3753 Cruithne (orbital circulations due to near resonant perturbations with Earth) Resonant trans-Neptunian object – to see examples of objects with a proper 3:7 resonance with Neptune

Notes

References

External links 1999 MPEC listing 2000 MPEC listing Asteroid Lightcurve Database (LCDB), query form (info Archived 16 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine) Discovery Circumstances: Numbered Minor Planets (45001)-(50000) – Minor Planet Center (48639) 1995 TL8 at AstDyS-2, Asteroids—Dynamic Site Ephemeris · Observation prediction · Orbital info · Proper elements · Observational info (48639) 1995 TL8 at the JPL Small-Body Database

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with (48639) 1995 TL8

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what (48639) 1995 TL8 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to (48639) 1995 TL8 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about (48639) 1995 TL8 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of (48639) 1995 TL8

In research: (48639) 1995 TL8 appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses (48639) 1995 TL8 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: (48639) 1995 TL8 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 1995, Astronomical objects discovered in 2002, Binary trans-Neptunian objects, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for (48639) 1995 TL8 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “(48639) 1995 TL8” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study (48639) 1995 TL8 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what (48639) 1995 TL8 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain (48639) 1995 TL8 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is (48639) 1995 TL8 in simple terms?

Why does (48639) 1995 TL8 matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study (48639) 1995 TL8?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on (48639) 1995 TL8.