Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Oct 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007dps....39.4909d&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #39, #49.09; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.510
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
20000 Varuna is one of the brightest Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) and one of the most studied. Its diameter is poorly determined, but of order 650 km (Stansberry et al., in press, 2007). Several photometric studies have indicated that Varuna has a pronounced light curve (amplitude in V = 0.44 mag) with a well determined rotation period (6.34 h), suggesting an oblate shape (Lacerda and Jewett, A.J. 133, 1393, 2007) and/or surface albedo variations. Licandro et al. (A&A 373, L29, 2001) published a spectrum that covers the visible and near-IR wavelength range and shows a weak feature at 2.5μm and a fairly pronounced red slope in the visible region. These features point to the possible presence of water ice and organic materials.
We present two new sets of photometric data taken with the IRAC camera of the Spitzer Telescope at 3.6 and 4.5μm obtained about 6 hours apart. The two sets of observations are consistent at 3.6μm but diverge significantly at 4.5μmm. Models fitting the entire wavelength range from 0.3 to 4.5μm for both data sets give clues to the surface composition of 20000 Varuna, its variations, and implications in the wider framework of KBO evolution.
Cruikshank Dale P.
Dalle Ore Cristina Morea
Emery Joshua P.
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