Short-term rotational variability of eight KBOs from Sierra Nevada Observatory
Abstract
In 2001, we started a CCD photometry programme to study the short-term variability of some of the brightest TNOs and Centaurs from the Sierra Nevada observatory. In this paper, we report our latest results on short-term rotational variability of 7 trans-neptunian objects: Orcus (2004 DW), 2002 AW{197}, 2003 AZ{84}, 2003 VS{2}, 2002 VE{95}, 2001 YH{140}, 1996 TL{66}, and a Centaur: 2003 CO{1}. Analysis of the photometric data revealed confident periodicities for 6 objects, with all the lightcurve amplitudes smaller than 0.2 mag, except for 2003 VS{2}. Considering all the objects for which reliable lightcurve amplitudes have been reported in the literature (32), the new statistics reveal that 31% of the bodies show variability above 0.15 mag, but only 16% of them display larger amplitudes than 0.4 mag. Here we present a summary of the main results obtained for these objects, and discuss the implications for their basic physical properties.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- March 2006
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361:20053572
- Bibcode:
- 2006A&A...447.1131O
- Keywords:
-
- minor planets;
- asteroids;
- Kuiper Belt;
- comets: general