Simulations indicate that it has most likely come from the Oort cloud, with a roughly equal probability of being an extinct comet and a rocky body that was originally scattered into the Oort cloud. The discovery of 1996 PW prompted theoretical research that suggests that roughly 1 to 2 percent of the Oort cloud objects are rocky.[2][10]
1996 PW was first observed on 9 August 1996 by the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) automated search camera on Haleakala Observatory, Hawaii. It is the first object that is not an active comet discovered on an orbit typical of long-period comets.[2]
1996 PW has a rotation period of 35.44±0.02 hours and a double-peaked lightcurve with a high amplitude of 0.44±0.03magnitude (U=3).[7][8] Its spectrum is moderately red and featureless,[11] typical of D-type asteroids and bare comet nuclei.[8][10][11] Its spectrum suggests an extinct comet.[11] The upper limit on 1996 PW's dust production is 0.03 kg/s.[8]
^ abcdefgDavies, John K.; McBride, Neil; Green, Simon F.; Mottola, Stefano; Carsenty, Uri; Basran, Devinder; et al. (April 1998). "The Lightcurve and Colors of Unusual Minor Planet 1996 PW". Icarus. 132 (2): 418–430. Bibcode:1998Icar..132..418D. doi:10.1006/icar.1998.5888.
^ abcHicks, M. D.; Buratti, B. J.; Newburn, R. L.; Rabinowitz, D. L. (February 2000). "Physical Observations of 1996 PW and 1997 SE5: Extinct Comets or D-Type Asteroids?". Icarus. 143 (2): 354–359. Bibcode:2000Icar..143..354H. doi:10.1006/icar.1999.6258.