Ghosts of Jupiter's past: is 2017 UV43 a relative of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9?

TL;DR

This paper investigates whether 2017 UV43 is a fragment related to comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 by analyzing its orbit and suggesting further observational efforts.

Contribution

It provides numerical evidence indicating a possible link between 2017 UV43 and Shoemaker-Levy 9, encouraging additional observations to clarify its nature.

Findings

Orbit of 2017 UV43 resembles Shoemaker-Levy 9 fragments

Numerical analysis suggests a potential relationship

Calls for precovery images and follow-up observations

Abstract

The present-day orbit of 2017 UV43 resembles the average one of the fragments of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9. Here, we present numerical evidence suggesting that 2017 UV43 might be related to Shoemaker-Levy 9. With our exploratory results we intend to encourage a search for precovery images of 2017 UV43 and perhaps even follow-up observations that may help in improving its poorly determined orbit so its true dynamical nature can be understood.