A revolutionary new transneptunian object was discovered in May of 2008 which orbits backwards along the zodiac and at a perpendicular angle to the ecliptic. Its name is Draco or more formally designated as 2008 KV42. It was discovered by an international team of scientists using the Canada-France-USA telescope in Hawaii and announced on July 16, 2008. Drac is only some 30 miles(50km) in diameter but its orbit stretches from 20.3 AU or roughly the orbit of Uranus to 70 AU or twice the orbit of Neptune, and it takes 306.54 years to make a complete orbit. The amazing thing about Drac is that it has an inclination of 103.5 degrees causing it to orbit in retrograde fashion in relation to the other planets. 
2008 KV2 travels backwards and perpendicular to the ecliptic Here is a rough ephemeris of 2008 KV42 in zodiacal longitudes derived from the IAU Minor Planet Center. The Right Ascension(J2000) and Declination coordinates were converted using the Riyal astrology program. 2008 KV42 ephemeris (1901 to 2040 AD) 5 year steps 00:00hr UT 1901 01 01 = 01°Cap 34' 1905 01 04 = 01°Cap 02' 1910 01 08 = 00°Cap 24' 1915 01 05 = 29°Sag 40' 1920 00 01 = 28°Sag 56' 1925 01 04 = 28°Sag 20' 1930 01 01 = 28°Sag 38' 1935 01 05 = 27°Sag 02' 1940 01 01 = 26°Sag 19' 1945 01 04 = 25°Sag 43' 1950 01 01 = 25°Sag 00' 1955 01 04 = 24°Sag 18' 1960 01 01 = 23°Sag 35' 1965 01 04 = 22°Sag 54' 1970 01 01 = 22°Sag 01' 1975 01 05 = 21°Sag 15' 1980 01 01 = 20°Sag 15' 1985 01 04 = 19°Sag 17' 1990 01 01 = 18°Sag 01' 1995 01 05 = 16°Sag 41' 2000 01 01 = 14°Sag 49' 2005 01 05 = 12°Sag 36' 2010 01 01 = 09°Sag 08' 2015 01 05 = 03°Sag 35' 2020 01 01 = 20°Sco 30' 2025 01 01 = 02°Lib 26' 2030 01 01 = 22°Can 43' 2035 01 05 = 02°Can 55' 2040 01 01 = 25°Gem 08' 2008 KV42 perihelion (2020 to 2030 AD) 1 year steps 00:00hr UT After 2010 there is a noticeable acceleration of Draco through the signs as it reaches perihelion. It is at its fastest between 2025 and 2027 somewhere in tropical Virgo. 2020 01 01 = 20°Sco 30' 2021 01 01 = 15°Sco 41' 2022 01 02 = 09°Sco 15' 2023 01 03 = 00°Sco 29' 2024 01 04 = 18°Lib 24' --------------------------- 2025 01 04 = 02°Lib 26' 2026 01 01 = 14°Vir 19' 2027 01 02 = 26°Leo 18' --------------------------- 2028 01 03 = 11°Leo 29' 2029 01 03 = 00°Leo 24' 2030 01 01 = 22°Can 43' |
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