2012 April 21. Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO) Discovery. Tom Vorobjov directs the IASC Data Reduction Team (IDaRT). Using images from Bob Holmes of the Astronomical Research Institute (Westfield, IL) dated April 19th, he discovered a trans-Neptunian object (TNO) located outside the orbit of Pluto. Its diameter is approximately 200 km. Designated at 2012 HH2 by the Minor Planet Center, the orbit varies from 29.5 AU to 46 AU from the Sun. It has an orbital period of 232 years (orbit diagram below). The Catalina Sky Survey (Tucson, AZ) and the Magdalena Ridge Observatory (Socorro, NM) provided follow-ups. These were important in helping to determine the orbit and establish that 2012 HH2 resides in the outer Solar System. This is a most important discovery…and a first for IASC. Congratulations to Tom and Bob!! —Dr. Patrick Miller, Hardin-Simmons University
