Astronomers from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have discovered a new trans-Neptunian object, 2020 VN40, that orbits Neptune in a unique 1:10 resonance. On average, it is 140 times farther from the Sun than Earth, taking an average of 164 years to complete one orbit around the Sun.
The discovery was made as part of the Large Inclined Distant Objects (LiDO) survey, which aimed to find unusual objects in the outer Solar System. Using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and additional observations from Gemini and Magellan Baade observatories, scientists found 140 objects with elongated orbits, including 2020 VN40.
The object’s orbit is highly inclined, staying close to Neptune for a short time during its closest approach to the Sun. For most of its journey, it remains low below the ecliptic plane. The LiDO project aims to study these unusual objects to understand their relationship with large planets and their anomalous orbital inclinations.
Source: https://universemagazine.com/en/scientists-find-object-orbiting-in-resonance-with-neptune