Activity of (2060) Chiron possibly caused by impacts?

The centaur 95P/(2060) Chiron is showing comet-like activity since its discovery, but the mass-loss mechanisms triggering its activity remained unexplained. Although the collision rates in the centaur region are expected to be very low, and impacts are thought not to be responsible for the mass-loss, since the recent indications that Chiron might possess a ring similar to Chariklo's, and assuming that there is debris orbiting around, the impact triggered mass-loss mechanism should not be excluded as a possible cause of its activity. From time series observations collected on Calar Alto Observatory in Spain between 2014 and 2016, we found that the photometric scatter in Chiron's data is larger than a control star's scatter, indicating a possible microactivity, possibly caused by debris falling back to Chiron's surface and lifting small clouds of material. We also present rotational light curves, and measurements of Chiron's absolute magnitudes, that are consistent with the models supporting the presumption that Chiron possesses rings. By co-adding the images acquired in 2015, we have detected a $\sim$5 arcsec long tail, showing a surface brightness of 25.3 mag(V)/arcsec$^{2}$.Comment: Accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS) on 2017 December 2

Results from the 2014 november 15th. multi-chord stellar occultation by the TNO (229762) 2007 UK126

Benedetti-Rossi, G. et. al.We present results derived from the first multi-chord stellar occultation by the trans-Neptunian object (229762) 2007 UK, observed on 2014 November 15. The event was observed by the Research and Education Collaborative Occultation Network project and International Occultation Timing Association collaborators throughout the United States. Use of two different data analysis methods obtain a satisfactory fit to seven chords, yielding an elliptical fit to the chords with an equatorial radius of R = 338 km and equivalent radius of R = 319 km. A circular fit also gives a radius of R = 324 km. Assuming that the object is a Maclaurin spheroid with indeterminate aspect angle, and using two published absolute magnitudes for the body, we derive possible ranges for geometric albedo between p = 0.159 and p = 0.189 , and for the body oblateness between ∈ = 0.105 and ∈ = 0.118 . For a nominal rotational period of 11.05 hr, an upper limit for density of ρ = 1740 kg m is estimated for the body.The RECON project would not be possible without all of the support from our community teams (teachers, students, and community members) and was funded by NSF grants AST-1212159, AST-1413287, and AST-1413072. Special thanks to Dean and Starizona for their support of RECON above and beyond the usual bounds of a commercial relationship. Part of the research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Community's H2020 (2014-2020/ERC Grant Agreement n 669416 >LUCKY STAR>). Funding from Spanish grant AYA-2014-56637-C2-1-P is acknowledged, as is the Proyecto de Excelencia de la Junta de Andaluca, J. A. 2012-FQM1776. R.D. acknowledges the support of MINECO for his Ramon y Cajal Contract. FEDER funds are also acknowledged. A.D.O. is thankful for the support of the CAPES (BEX 9110/12-7) FAPERJ/PAPDRJ (E-26/200.464/2015) grants. G.B.R. is thankful for the support of CAPES/Brazil and FAPERJ (Grant E-01/2015/209545). J.I.B.C. acknowledges CNPq for a PQ2 fellowship (process number 308489/2013-6). L.G. thanks the support from CONACYT through grant 167236. M.A. thanks the CNPq (Grants 473002/2013-2 and 308721/2011-0) and FAPERJ (Grant E-26/111.488/2013). P.S.-S. acknowledges that part of the research leading to these results has received funding from the European Unions Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, under Grant Agreement no 687378. R.V.M. acknowledges the following grants: CNPq-306885/2013, CAPES/Cofecub-2506/2015, FAPERJ/PAPDRJ-45/2013, FAPERJ/CNE/05-2015.Peer Reviewe

Absolute magnitudes and phase coefficients of trans-Neptunian objects

Accurate measurements of diameters of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) are extremely difficult to obtain. Thermal modeling can provide good results, but accurate absolute magnitudes are needed to constrain the thermal models and derive diameters and geometric albedos. The absolute magnitude, H, is defined as the magnitude of the object reduced to unit helio-and geocentric distances and a zero solar phase angle and is determined using phase curves. Phase coefficients can also be obtained from phase curves. These are related to surface properties, but only few are known. Aims. Our objective is to measure accurate V-band absolute magnitudes and phase coefficients for a sample of TNOs, many of which have been observed and modeled within the program >TNOs are cool>, which is one of the Herschel Space Observatory key projects. Methods. We observed 56 objects using the V and R filters. These data, along with those available in the literature, were used to obtain phase curves and measure V-band absolute magnitudes and phase coefficients by assuming a linear trend of the phase curves and considering a magnitude variability that is due to the rotational light-curve. Results. We obtained 237 new magnitudes for the 56 objects, six of which were without previously reported measurements. Including the data from the literature, we report a total of 110 absolute magnitudes with their respective phase coefficients. The average value of H is 6.39, bracketed by a minimum of 14.60 and a maximum of-1.12. For the phase coefficients we report a median value of 0.10 mag per degree and a very large dispersion, ranging from-0.88 up to 1.35 mag per degree. © 2016 ESO.J.L.O. acknowledges support from the Spanish Mineco grant AYA-2011-30106-CO2-O1, from FEDER funds and from the Proyecto de Excelencia de la Junta de Andalucia, J.A. 2012-FQM1776. R.D. acknowledges the support of MINECO for his Ramon y Cajal ContractPeer Reviewe

Large halloween asteroid at lunar distance

The near-Earth asteroid (NEA) 2015 TB had a very close encounter with Earth at 1.3 lunar distances on October 31, 2015. We obtained 3-band mid-infrared observations of this asteroid with the ESO VLT-VISIR instrument covering approximately four hours in total. We also monitored the visual lightcurve during the close-encounter phase. The NEA has a (most likely) rotation period of 2.939 ± 0.005 h and the visual lightcurve shows a peak-to-peak amplitude of approximately 0.12 ± 0.02 mag. A second rotation period of 4.779 ± 0.012 h, with an amplitude of the Fourier fit of 0.10 ± 0.02 mag, also seems compatible with the available lightcurve measurements. We estimate a V-R colour of 0.56 ± 0.05 mag from different entries in the MPC database. A reliable determination of the object's absolute magnitude was not possible. Applying different phase relations to the available R-/V-band observations produced H = 18.6 mag (standard H-G calculations) or H = 19.2 mag and H = 19.8 mag (via the H-G procedure for sparse and low-quality data), with large uncertainties of approximately 1 mag. We performed a detailed thermophysical model analysis by using spherical and partially also ellipsoidal shape models. The thermal properties are best explained by an equator-on (± 30°) viewing geometry during our measurements with a thermal inertia in the range 250-700 J m s K (retrograde rotation) or above 500 J m s K (prograde rotation). We find that the NEA has a minimum size of approximately 625 m, a maximum size of just below 700 m, and a slightly elongated shape with a/b 1.1. The best match to all thermal measurements is found for: (i) thermal inertia Γ = 900 J m s K; D = 644 m, p = 5.5% (prograde rotation with 2.939 h); regolith grain sizes of 50-100 mm; (ii) thermal inertia Γ = 400 J m s K; D = 667 m, p = 5.1% (retrograde rotation with 2.939 h); regolith grain sizes of 10-20 mm. A near-Earth asteroid model (NEATM) confirms an object size well above 600 m (best NEATM solution at 690 m, beaming parameter η = 1.95), significantly larger than early estimates based on radar measurements. In general, a high-quality physical and thermal characterisation of a close-encounter object from two-week apparition data is not easily possible. We give recommendations for improved observing strategies for similar events in the future. © ESO, 2017.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, under Grant Agreement No. 687378. Funding from Spanish grant AYA-2014-56637-C2-1-P is acknowledged. Hungarian funding from the NKFIH grant GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00003 is also acknowledged. R.D. acknowledges the support of MINECO for his Ramon y Cajal Contract.Peer Reviewe

IAA : Información y actualidad astronómica (26)

Sumario : Estrellas de neutrones: furioso magnetismo.-- La astronomía en el arte.-- DECONSTRUCCIÓN Y otros ENSAYOS : Lo más frío del Universo.-- CIENCIA: PILARES E INCERTIDUMBRES : Los meteoritos “ordinarios”.-- ACTUALIDAD.-- ENTRE BASTIDORES : Las generaciones perdidas.-- HISTORIAS DE ASTRONOMÍA : El organista que descubrió Urano.-- ACTIVIDADES IAA.Esta revista se publica con la ayuda FCT-08-0130 del Programa Nacional de Fomento de la Cultura Científica y Tecnológica 2008.N

IAA : Información y actualidad astronómica (37)

Sumario : SgrA*: nuestro aletargado monstruo galáctico.-- Una mirada no tan limitada al universo.-- CLASH.-- CIENCIA EN HISTORIAS. Una breve, muy breve, historia de los autómatas.-- DECONSTRUCCIÓN Y otros ENSAYOS. El extraño caso de Henrietta Leavitt y Erasmus Cefeido.-- EL “MOBY DICK” DE... René Duffard (IAA-CSIC).-- ACTUALIDAD.-- ENTRE BASTIDORES.-- SALA LIMPIA.-- CIENCIA: PILARES E INCERTIDUMBRES... La misteriosa materia oscura.-- AGENDA/RECOMENDADOS.N

IAA : Información y actualidad astronómica (27)

Sumario : Sagitario A*: el agujero negro en el corazón de la Vía Láctea.-- ESPECIAL: Año Internacional de la Astronomía.-- HISTORIAS DE ASTRONOMÍA. Chandrasekhar y los agujeros negros.-- DECONSTRUCCIÓN Y otros ENSAYOS. Binarias de rayos X.-- EL “MOBY DICK” DE...Pedro Amado.-- ACTUALIDAD.-- ENTRE BASTIDORES.-- CIENCIA: PILARES E INCERTIDUMBRES. El tiempo.-- ACTIVIDADES IAA.N