Orcus is a fascinating space object called a Plutino, which is a type of Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO). It was discovered on February 17, 2004, by astronomers Michael Brown, Chad Trujillo, and David Rabinowitz at the Palomar Observatory. They used a special telescope called the Samuel Oschin Telescope to find it. Since then, Orcus has captured the interest of scientists who study space.
The name “Orcus” comes from an ancient Etruscan god who was known for punishing people who broke promises. This name fits well because many objects like Orcus, which are similar in size and orbit to Pluto, are named after gods and goddesses from myths about the underworld.
Orcus takes about 247 years to travel around the Sun once. This is called its orbital period. When it was first discovered, it was given a temporary name: (90482) 2004 DW. Later, it was officially named Orcus.
Orcus is part of the Kuiper Belt, a region of space filled with icy bodies. It has a diameter of about 917 kilometers, making it quite large. Orcus also has a moon named Vanth. Vanth was discovered by Michael Brown using the Hubble Space Telescope on November 13, 2005, but the discovery was announced in 2007.
Vanth is the moon that orbits Orcus. It travels in a nearly perfect circle around Orcus and takes about 9.54 days to complete one orbit. The name Vanth also comes from Etruscan mythology, where Vanth is a spirit similar to Orcus.
Orcus is an exciting object in space with many interesting features and mythological connections. Its relationship with its moon, Vanth, helps scientists learn more about the mysterious objects in the Kuiper Belt. Studying Orcus and Vanth gives us a better understanding of the far reaches of our solar system.
Create Your Own Solar System Model: Gather some craft materials like clay, paper, and markers. Create a model of the solar system, including Orcus and its moon, Vanth. Use different colors to represent each planet and object. Think about the size and distance of each object from the Sun. How does Orcus compare to other planets and objects in the Kuiper Belt? Share your model with your family and explain what you learned about Orcus and Vanth.
Mythology Story Time: Research more about Etruscan mythology and the stories of Orcus and Vanth. Write a short story or draw a comic strip about an adventure involving these mythological characters. How do these stories relate to the characteristics of the space objects named after them? Share your story or comic with your classmates and discuss how mythology influences the naming of celestial bodies.
Orbit Observation Activity: Use a flashlight to represent the Sun and a small ball to represent Orcus. In a dark room, shine the flashlight on the ball and walk around it to mimic Orcus’s orbit around the Sun. Notice how the light changes on the ball as you move. Discuss with a friend or family member how long it takes for Orcus to orbit the Sun and compare it to Earth’s orbit. Why do you think it takes Orcus so much longer?
