- L51 minutes (17 frames)
Haumea (also known as 136108 Haumea) is a dwarf planet located beyond the orbit of Neptune. It was discovered in 2004 by a team led by Mike Brown of the Caltech Palomar Observatory**, and officially announced in 2005 by a team led by José Luis Ortiz Moreno of Sierra Nevada, Spain. Haumea was given the provisional designation 2003 EL61.
Name and Symbol
Haumea was named after Haumea, the Hawaiian goddess of birth. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) assigned it this name in anticipation of its confirmation as a dwarf planet. Haumea is considered the third largest known object beyond Neptune, after Eris and Pluto, and is similar in size to Titania, a moon of Uranus.
Discovery and Exploration
Haumea was discovered in 2004 in images taken on May 6 of that year. Meanwhile, another team, led by José Luis Ortiz, discovered it in 2003. This discovery caused a dispute between the teams, as both claimed priority for the discovery.
Physical Characteristics
Haumea has a mass about one-third that of Pluto and 1/1400 that of Earth. Although its shape has not been directly observed, calculations from its light curve suggest that it has a Jacobi ellipsoid shape. This means that its major axis is twice as long as its minor axis. In 2017, astronomers discovered a ring system around Haumea, the first for an object beyond Neptune.
Impact of Collisions
Haumea**'s shape and rapid rotation, as well as its rings and high albedo (due to its surface being covered in crystalline water ice) may be the result of a giant collision in the past. This collision left Haumea the largest member of the Haumea family, a group of objects that evolved from this event.
Moons
Haumea** has two known moons: Hiiaka and Namaka. These moons were likely formed from the same material as the object itself, as a result of an ancient collision.
Naming Discussion
Before the official naming, the Caltech team used the nickname "Santa" for Haumea (in honor of Christmas, since the discovery occurred right after the holidays). "Ataecina", proposed by a Spanish team, was also considered as a name, but it did not meet IAU requirements, since the names of chthonic goddesses were reserved for objects that resonate consistently with Neptune.
Visibility chart of Asteroid Haumea (2003 EL61) throughout the day
| Date | Moon Phase | Exposure | CCD Temperature | Gain | Offset | Filter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- 2023ixf•
- 40 Eri•
- Abell 74•
- Artemis A868 SA•
- a Canis Minoris•
- C 2020 R4 ATLAS•
- C 2020 T2 Palomar•
- C 2021 S3 (PANSTARRS)•
- Haumea (2003 EL61)•
- HCG 68•
- HCG 92•
- IC 1318B•
- IC 1396•
- IC 1795•
- IC 1805•
- IC 1848•
- IC 1871•
- IC 3322A•
- IC 342•
- IC 4015•
- IC 405•
- IC 417•
- IC 434•
- IC 443•
- IC 4703•
- IC 5070•
- IC 5146•
- IC 63•
- M 1•
- M 101•
- M 103•
- M 109•
- M 13•
- M 15•
- M 27•
- M 3•
- M 33•
- M 42•
- M 45•
- M 5•
- M 51•
- M 57•
- M 63•
- M 64•
- M 74•
- M 76•
- M 81•
- M 82•
- M 86•
- M 87•
- M 94•
- M 97•
- NGC 147•
- NGC 1491•
- NGC 1499•
- NGC 1579•
- NGC 1961•
- NGC 2146•
- NGC 2239•
- NGC 2403•
- NGC 281•
- NGC 4236•
- NGC 4565•
- NGC 4631•
- NGC 507•
- NGC 508•
- NGC 5866•
- NGC 5907•
- NGC 6503•
- NGC 6823•
- NGC 6888•
- NGC 6946•
- NGC 6992•
- NGC 6995•
- NGC 7000•
- NGC 7023•
- NGC 7129•
- NGC 7217•
- NGC 7331•
- NGC 7380•
- NGC 7538•
- NGC 7635•
- NGC 7640•
- NGC 7822•
- NGC 891•
- NGC 896•
- NGC 925•
- PGC 54559•
- Sh2-155•
- Sh2-168•
- Sh2 103•
- Sh2 109•
- Sh2 132•
- T CrB•
- UGC 6930•
- V1405 Cas•
- Vesta A807 FA•