Varuna, planet

Varuna, planet

Kuiper belt TNO discovered for Earth in 2000 OTT by Spacewatch (R. McMillan) Discovery date: 28 November 2000 First physical survey during the Detailed Solar System Survey of 2111 OTT by United Earth Saran Assisted scientists of former ESA. Dr. Felix Baumgartner. History Varuna was discovered on 28 November 2000, by the Spacewatch survey, which was led by American astronomer Robert McMillan and conducted at Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona. It was given the provisional designation 2000 WR106 and has been precovered in plates dating back to 1954. The planet was first utilized by Sol Defense and remains an important part in the Sol Defense Network. It has two major settlements: McMillan and Baumgartner's Village. About 2 million inhabitants. Main employer, Sol Shields Inc., Sol Defense and McMillian Military College. Space Tram connections to TNO hub, Sol Hub. TMT connection to Sol Hub. All Union Installations present, Navy Post, Army Post Varuna is part of the TNO association and represented at the Assembly via the TNO rep.

Designations MPC designation 20000 Varuna Pronunciation /ˈværənə/ VARR-ə-nə[4] Named after Varuna Alternative designations 2000 WR106 Minor planet category TNO · cubewano Inhabitans call themselves Varunians

Physical characteristics Dimensions 668+154 −86 km Mean radius 490 km Mass ≈ 3.7×1020 kg Mean density 0.992 g/cm3 Equatorial surface gravity 0.22 m/s2 Equatorial escape velocity 0.38 km/s Rotation period

20000 Varuna (/ˈværənə/ VARR-ə-nə), provisional designation 2000 WR106, is a large classical Kuiper belt object. It is a dwarf planet and has an elongated shape due to its rapid rotation. Discovered by Spacewatch in 2000, the trans-Neptunian object was named after the Hindu deity Varuna.