| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | LINEAR |
| Discovery site | Socorro, New Mexico |
| Discovery date | 13 November 1998 |
| Designations | |
| (101429) 1998 VF31 | |
| 1998 VF31 | |
Martian L5  , Mars-crossing asteroid | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| Epoch 13 January 2016 (JD 2457400.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 7056 days (19.32 yr) |
| Aphelion | 1.6771808 AU (250.90268 Gm) |
| Perihelion | 1.3711043 AU (205.11428 Gm) |
| 1.5241426 AU (228.00849 Gm) | |
| Eccentricity | 0.1004094 |
| 1.88 yr (687.28 d) | |
| 301.39501° | |
| 0° 31m 25.681s / day | |
| Inclination | 31.295943° |
| 221.31782° | |
| 310.56601° | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| 17.2 h[1] | |
| S[2] | |
| 17.2[1] | |
(101429) 1998 VF31 (provisional designation 1998 VF31) is a sub-kilometer asteroid that orbits near Mars's L5 Lagrangian point, on average trailing 60° behind it. Its orbit is highly stable, and was originally thought to be spectroscopically similar to 5261 Eureka, suggesting they may both be primordial Martian asteroids.[3]
Spectroscopic observations through 2007 indicate that it has a large proportion of metal and achondrites on its surface (either with or without a mesosiderite contribution); which could also indicate that the surface regolith has undergone space weathering. These observations also reveal differences in the spectra with 5261 Eureka, suggesting they may not be related to each other after all.[2]
