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Photometric observations of Rosetta target asteroid 2867 Steins

Weissman, P.R., Lowry, S.C., Choi, Y.-J. (2007) Photometric observations of Rosetta target asteroid 2867 Steins. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 466 (2). pp. 737-742. ISSN 0004-6361. E-ISSN 1432-0746. (doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20066409) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:52305)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20066409

Abstract

Asteroid 2867 Steins is one of two flyby targets of ESA's International Rosetta Mission, launched in March, 2004. We obtained CCD observations of Steins on April 14-16, 2004 at Table Mountain Observatory, California, in order to characterize the asteroid physically, information that is crucial for planning the Steins flyby. This study includes the first detailed analysis of the physical properties of Steins from time-series R-filter data along with V- and I-filter photometric measurements. We found a mean R-filter absolute magnitude of 12.60 ± 0.02 (for G = 0.15), corresponding to a mean radius of 3.57 ± 0.03 km assuming an S-type reflectance of 0.20, or 2.24 ± 0.02 km assuming an E-type reflectance of 0.40 (and C = 0.40). The observed brightness range of 0.29 ± 0.04 mag suggests a lower limit on the axial ratio, a/b, of 1.30. We determined a synodic rotation period of 6.048 ± 0.007 h, assuming a double-peaked lightcurve. We fitted the available R-filter photometry over the phase angle range of 11.08-17.07 degrees and found best-fit phase function parameters of G = 0.46 (-0.20, +0.32), and H = 12.92 (-0.17, +0.22). Derived colour indices for the asteroid are (V - R) = 0.58 ± 0.03, and (R - I) = 0.44 ± 0.03. These values are consistent with, though slightly redder than Hicks et al. (IAUC 8315). Barucci et al. (2005) identified Steins as an E-type based on visual and near-infrared spectra, but if that is correct, then it is an unusually red E-type asteroid. © ESO 2007.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1051/0004-6361:20066409
Additional information: Unmapped bibliographic data: LA - English [Field not mapped to EPrints] J2 - Astron. Astrophys. [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - Science Division, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MS 183-301, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, United States [Field not mapped to EPrints] AD - School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom [Field not mapped to EPrints] DB - Scopus [Field not mapped to EPrints]
Uncontrolled keywords: asteroids, Minors planets, Charge coupled devices, Photometry, Planets, Solar system, Time series analysis, Minors planets, Photometric observations, Asteroids
Subjects: Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Depositing User: Stephen Lowry
Date Deposited: 08 Dec 2015 22:59 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:21 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/52305 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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