Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2006-04-11
Astrophys.J. 643 (2006) L61-L64
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Scientific paper
10.1086/504843
We have used the Hubble Space Telescope to directly measure the angular size of the large Kuiper belt object 2003 UB313. By carefully calibrating the point spread function of a nearby field star, we measure the size of 2003 UB313 to be 34.3$\pm$1.4 milliarcseconds, corresponding to a diameter of 2400$\pm$100 km or a size $\sim5$% larger than Pluto. The V band geometric albedo of 2003 UB313 is $86\pm7$%. The extremely high albedo is consistent with the frosty methane spectrum, the lack of red coloring, and the lack of observed photometric variation on the surface of 2003 UB313. Methane photolysis should quickly darken the surface of 2003 UB313, but continuous evaporation and redeposition of surface ices appears capable of maintaining the extreme alebdo of this body.
Brown Michael E.
Rabinowitz David L.
Roe Henry Garfitt
Schaller Emily L.
Trujillo Chad A.
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