Astronomers have discovered the new Trojan satellite of Neptune – asteroid 2011 HM102, which moves almost exactly in the orbit of this planet, about 60 degrees behind it, the Center reports minor planets of the International Astronomical Union. 
Photos from open sources Back in the 18th century, scientists established that small celestial bodies can move in one orbit with the planet, if they are near triangulation points in front or behind it, that is, near the points of Lagrange, where the gravity of the Sun and planet is balanced. Such bodies are called Trojan companions. planets. In particular, more than such satellites were found in Jupiter thousands, and in 2010 the first “Trojan” of the Earth was discovered – asteroid 2010 TK7. Neptune’s first Trojan satellite was discovered in In 2001, to date, eight were known, six – “ahead” of the planet, at Lagrange point L4, two – “behind”, at point L5. Neptune’s new “Trojan” was discovered by a group of astronomers New Horizons KBO Search team. She searches for Kuiper belt objects (outer belt of asteroids in the solar system), which could potentially be the target for NASA’s New Horizons probe. Asteroid 2011 HM102, according to scientists, has a size of 90 to 180 kilometers. It will become the third asteroid at L5, behind Neptune.
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