Surface studies of asteroids from earthbound observations

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

Scientific paper

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Asteroids, Astronomical Photometry, Electrophotometry, Light Curve, Planetary Surfaces, Surface Properties, Asteroid Missions, Planetary Rotation

Scientific paper

The angular diameter of minor planets under the best observation conditions of about one arcsec (seeing) at ground-based observatories usually is too small to be resolved for surface studies or diameter determinations with direct photographic or similar imaging methods. Nevertheless, the rough geometry and/or small-scale structures on the asteroid surfaces can be studied with light curve observations using high-precision photoelectric photometry and the fact that the rotation of an asteroid during a spin period is now determined for slightly more than 200 minor planets. For only a few selected asteroids (63 Ausonia, 88 Thisbe, 92 Undina, 110 Lydia, 118 Peitho, 128 Nemesis, 139 Juewa, 337 Devosa, and 599 Luisa) it is shown from details detected in the light curves, how observations of this type were carried out successfully. From the small scale features, rough linear extensions on the asteroid surface are obtained from differences in magnitude and time. Such observations will be more useful and important in the future with respect to the optimum selection of objects for a possible direct asteroid spacecraft mission.

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