(101429) 1998 VF31

(101429) 1998 VF₃₁

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	LINEAR
Discovery site	Socorro, New Mexico
Discovery date	13 November 1998
Designations
MPC designation	(101429) 1998 VF31
Alternative designations	1998 VF31
Minor planet category	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)
Semi-major axis	1.5241426 AU (228.00849 Gm)
Eccentricity	0.1004094
Orbital period (sidereal)	1.88 yr (687.28 d)
Mean anomaly	301.39501°
Mean motion	0° 31m 25.681s / day
Inclination	31.295943°
Longitude of ascending node	221.31782°
Argument of perihelion	310.56601°
Physical characteristics
Synodic rotation period	17.2 h[1]
Spectral type	S[2]
Absolute magnitude (H)	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]