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Title:
Satellites of the Largest Kuiper Belt Objects
Authors:
Brown, M. E.; van Dam, M. A.; Bouchez, A. H.; Le Mignant, D.; Campbell, R. D.; Chin, J. C. Y.; Conrad, A.; Hartman, S. K.; Johansson, E. M.; Lafon, R. E.; Rabinowitz, D. L.; Stomski, P. J., Jr.; Summers, D. M.; Trujillo, C. A.; Wizinowich, P. L.
Affiliation:
AA(Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 ), AB(W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743.), AC(Caltech Optical Observatoires, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125.), AD(W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743.), AE(W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743.), AF(W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743.), AG(W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743.), AH(W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743.), AI(W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743.), AJ(W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743.), AK(Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520.), AL(W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743.), AM(W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743.), AN(Gemini Observatory, 670 North A'ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720.), AO(W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1120 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela, HI 96743.)
Publication:
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 639, Issue 1, pp. L43-L46. (ApJL Homepage)
Publication Date:
03/2006
Origin:
UCP
Astronomy Keywords:
Kuiper Belt, Planets and Satellites: General, Techniques: High Anular Resolution
DOI:
10.1086/501524
Bibliographic Code:
2006ApJ...639L..43B

Abstract

We have searched the four brightest objects in the Kuiper Belt for the presence of satellites using the newly commissioned Keck Observatory Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics system. Satellites are seen around three of the four objects: Pluto (whose satellite Charon is well-known and whose recently discovered smaller satellites are too faint to be detected), 2003 EL61 (where a second satellite is seen in addition to the previously known satellite), and 2003 UB313 (where a satellite is seen for the first time). The object 2005 FY9, the brightest Kuiper Belt object (KBO) after Pluto, does not have a satellite detectable within 0.4" with a brightness of more than 1% of the primary. The presence of satellites around three of the four brightest KBOs is inconsistent with the fraction of satellites in the Kuiper Belt at large at the 99.2% confidence level, suggesting a different formation mechanism for these largest KBO satellites. The two satellites of 2003 EL61, and the one satellite of 2003 UB313, with fractional brightnesses of 5% and 1.5%, and 2%, of their primaries, respectively, are significantly fainter relative to their primaries than other known KBO satellites, again pointing to possible differences in their origin.
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