(690420) 2014 FC72
is a trans-Neptunian object, classified as a scattered and detached object, located in the outermost region of the Solar System. It was first observed on 24 March 2014 by astronomers with the Pan-STARRS survey at Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii, United States. With its perihelion distant from Neptune, it belongs to a small and poorly understood group of objects with moderate eccentricities. It is estimated to measure in diameter, assuming a low albedo.
Orbit and classification
orbits the Sun at a distance of 51.7–100.6 AU once every 664 years. Its orbit has a moderate eccentricity of 0.32 and an inclination of 30° with respect to the ecliptic.The object belongs to the same orbital group as,, and . With an orbital period of 664 years, they seem to be resonant trans-Neptunian objects in a 1:4 resonance with Neptune, as are and, but with lower eccentricities and therefore higher perihelia as the latter.
Considered a scattered and detached object, is particularly unusual as it has an unusually circular orbit for a scattered-disc object. Although it is thought that traditional scattered-disc objects have been ejected into their current orbits by gravitational interactions with Neptune, the low eccentricity of its orbit and the distance of its perihelion seems hard to reconcile with such celestial mechanics. This has led to some uncertainty as to the current theoretical understanding of the outer Solar System. The theories include close stellar passages, unseen planet/rogue planets/planetary embryos in the early Kuiper belt, and resonance interaction with an outward-migrating Neptune. The Kozai mechanism is capable of transferring orbital eccentricity to a higher inclination.