Makemake

 

Makemake

Dwarf planet in the Solar system

Makemake ( minor- planet designation 136472 Makemake ) is a likely dwarf planet and perhaps the second largest Kuiper belt object in the classical population, with a diameter approximately two- third that of Pluto. Makemake has one known satellites S/2015 ( 136472 ) 1. Makemake's extremely low average temperature, about 40 K ( -230 °C ) , means it's surface is covered with methene, and possibly nitrogen ices.

Makemake was discovered on March 31, 2005 by a team led by Michael Brown and announced on July 29, 2005 . Initially it was known as 2005 FY9 and later given the minor planet number  136472. In July 2008 it was named after Makemake the creater god of the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island, under the expectations by the International Astronomical Union ( IAU ) that it would prove to be a dwarf planet.

Discovery

Makemake was discovered by on March 31, 2005 by a team at the Palomar Observatory led by Michael E. Brown, and was announced to the public on July 29, 2005. The team planned to delay announcing their discoveries of the bright object Makemake and Eris until further observations and calculations were complete, but announced them both on July 29. Makemake is the brightest trans-Neptunian object after Pluto. Indeed with an appearent magnitude of 16.2 in late 1930, it is theoretically bright enough to have been discovered by Clyde Tombaugh, whose search for trans- Neptunian objects was sensitive to objects up to magnitude 17.

Name

The provisional designation 2005 FY9 was given to Makemake when the discovery was made public. Before that the discovery term used the codename "Easter Bunny" for the object, because of its Discovery shortly after Easter. 

In July 2008 in accordance with IAU for the classical Kuiper  belt object 2005 FY9 was given the name of a creator deity. The name of Makemake the creator of humanity and God of fertile in the myths of the Rapa Nui, the native people to preserve of Easter Island, was chosen in part to preserve the objects connection with Easter. 

Makemake  is a classical Kuiper belt object (KBO) which means its orbit lies far Enough from Neptune to remain stable over the age of the solar system. Unlike plutinos which can cross Neptune orbit due to their 2:3 resonance with the planet, the classical objects have perihelia furthe from the ⛅ Sun free from Neptune perturbation. Makemake is probably coincidentally near the 13:7 resonances with Neptune.

Physical characteristics 

Makemake is currently visually 2nd brightest Kuiper belt object after Pluto having a March opposition appearent magnitude of 17.0 . It will pass from its present constellation Coma Berenices to Booted in December 2027. It is bright enough to be visible using a high end amateur telescope. The rotation period of Makemake is estimated at 22.83 hours. A rotation period of 7.77 hours published in 2009 later turned out to be an alias of the actual rotation period. Makemake's is light curve amplitude is small, only 0.03 mag. This was thought to be due to Makemake currently being viewed pole on from Earth; however S/ 2015 ( 136472 ) 1's orbital plane.

Like Pluto, Makemake appears red on the visible spectrum and significantly redder than the surface of Eris. Makemake was expected to have an atmosphere similar to that of Pluto but with a lower surface pressure. The result showed that Makemake presently lacks a substantial atmosphere and placed an upper limit of 4- 12 nanobar on the pressure at its surface.

Satellites

Makemake has a single known moon which had discovered in 2015 or  2016. It  is estimated to be around 200 km ( 120 mi ) or less in diameter, assuming if it has a dark surface with low reflectivity.

Exploration 

It has been calculated that a fly by mission to Makemake could take just over fifteen year using a Jupiter gravity assist on a launch date of 21st August 2024 for 24 August 2036. Makemake would be approximately 52 AU from the ⛅ Sun when the spacecraft arrives.

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