2 research outputs found

    A Single-chord Stellar Occultation by the Extreme Trans-Neptunian Object (541132) Leleākūhonua

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    A stellar occultation by the extreme large-perihelion trans-Neptunian object (541132) Leleākūhonua (also known by the provisional designation of 2015 TG387) was predicted by the Lucky Star project and observed with the Research and Education Collaborative Occultation Network on 2018 October 20 UT. A single detection and a nearby nondetection provide constraints for the size and albedo. When a circular profile is assumed, the radius is r = 110+14-10 km, corresponding to a geometric albedo Pv = 0.21+0.03-0.05, for an adopted absolute magnitude of HV = 5.6, typical of other objects in dynamically similar orbits. The occultation also provides a high-precision astrometric constraint

    The Sizes and Albedos of Centaurs 2014 YY 49_{49} and 2013 NL 24_{24} from Stellar Occultation Measurements by RECON

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    In 2019, the Research and Education Collaborative Occultation Network (RECON) obtained multiple-chord occultation measurements of two centaur objects: 2014 YY49_{49} on 2019 January 28 and 2013 NL24_{24} on 2019 September 4. RECON is a citizen-science telescope network designed to observe high-uncertainty occultations by outer solar system objects. Adopting circular models for the object profiles, we derive a radius r=161+2r=16^{+2}_{-1}km and a geometric albedo pV=0.130.024+0.015p_V=0.13^{+0.015}_{-0.024} for 2014 YY49_{49}, and a radius r=665+5r=66 ^{+5}_{-5}km and geometric albedo pV=0.0450.008+0.006p_V = 0.045^{+0.006}_{-0.008} for 2013 NL24_{24}. To the precision of these measurements, no atmosphere or rings are detected for either object. The two objects measured here are among the smallest distant objects measured with the stellar occultation technique. In addition to these geometric constraints, the occultation measurements provide astrometric constraints for these two centaurs at a higher precision than has been feasible by direct imaging. To supplement the occultation results, we also present an analysis of color photometry from the Pan-STARRS surveys to constrain the rotational light curve amplitudes and spectral colors of these two centaurs. We recommend that future work focus on photometry to more deliberately constrain the objects' colors and light curve amplitudes, and on follow-on occultation efforts informed by this astrometry
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